Chapter 202-3: Game Beta Test? Players? (Part 3)

Words : 1363 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

The population base of Dawn City was still too small. Relying on natural birth to increase numbers in the short term was simply unrealistic. Moreover, due to geographical limitations, the only viable path to rapid development was to acquire population from the outside. In other words, population development was currently the most critical priority for Dawn City. Growing grain was for population growth. Building a city was for population growth. Expanding the Whispering Bats was to make population acquisition faster. The sustainable development strategy that Li De had outlined was predicated on having a massive population base. Humans were the foundation upon which Dawn City was built, the ground floor upon which everything rested. The Bloodline Descendants were the superstructure built upon that foundation. Only by stabilizing that foundation could the Bloodline Descendants, the elite upper layers, be constructed to perfection. To truly stabilize the foundation, Li De estimated that Dawn City would need a population of 300,000, perhaps even 500,000 or a million before he could consider it genuinely secure. At that point, even if they had to face Green City’s tens of thousands of troops, Dawn City would not have to fear them. The road leading from the Southern District to the Moonlight Plains had been officially named Moonlight Path by Harrison. When Li De first heard that this road, wide enough to accommodate eighteen wagons side by side, had been named "Moonlight Path," his expression had been quite... interesting. [T/N: In Chinese ‘小径’ usually means a narrow trail or small path. So calling a massive highway that is big enough to fit eighteen wagons at once is what Li De finds funny.] But the name had already been decided, and he couldn’t be bothered to overturn it. Now in the harvest season, Moonlight Path bustled with activity. Oxen and horses pulled wagons endlessly along the road. The wagons were filled with freshly harvested wheat, golden grains piled into coarse gray burlap sacks. Thanks to the efforts of Dylon, nearly every household in Dawn City now had access to an ox or a horse for farming. Thus, the ox carts and horse carts had come into widespread use. This drastically reduced the labor burden. It might not have reached the convenience of modern mechanized agriculture, but compared to the days of hauling grain on shoulders, it was a major leap forward. On either side of the Western District were still undeveloped grasslands, this would be the future Moonlight New City. Looking into the distance, at the end of the left-side mountain ridge, one could faintly see a row of towering blast furnaces spewing black smoke. Those were the steel furnaces at the blacksmith workshops. The Giant Valley mining operation was now fully operational, shipping out dozens of tons of raw ore every day for refining in Dawn City. Steel was the bloodline of industry, the wheels of a city's chariot. With access to iron ore, Dawn City’s development now had the solid foundation it needed. Much of the city’s rapid progress could be directly attributed to the Giant Valley mines. Looking forward, nine towering round towers came into Li De’s view. The Dawn Mage Tower, though the residents now preferred to call it the Rainbow Mage Tower. This was because aside from the main tower and its black auxiliary entrance tower, the other seven towers were colored like the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet. Mysterious, yet also beautiful. It perfectly matched the aesthetic of the residents. During this period, every age-appropriate youth in Dawn City had undergone magical aptitude testing. Among those tested, 132 were found to possess magical talent. Normally, no more than 30 of those would be recruited by the Dawn Mage Tower. But due to Li De’s plan for life-class mages, even those with average aptitude were brought in as reserve apprentices. Of course, these apprentices would not learn high-level combat magic, but rather everyday support-type spells designed for future life and productivity. Additionally, 200 newly turned Bloodline Descendants had also joined the mage tower as trainees. The Dawn Mage Tower had been created precisely to accelerate the training of mages. These fledgling vampires, turned during the Months of Deep Winter, were sorely lacking in magical proficiency. Though Bloodline Descendants were part of a superior race and naturally gifted in spellcasting, their potential still needed time to develop. The purpose of the Dawn Mage Tower was to concentrate training efforts and shorten the time needed for them to grow strong. Furthermore, all of the higher-level Bloodline Descendants were now stationed in the tower, Harrison himself served as a Deputy Tower Master. Bloodline Descendants only needed two to three Sun-hours of rest each day, giving them ample free time. After completing their daily duties, they could attend magical lessons or even serve as instructors without strain. The establishment of the Dawn Mage Tower had firmly secured a path for the vampires power growth, something whose significance could not be overstated. Of course, Li De knew the tower still needed vast investment and time before it could reach its true potential. But that was no problem. Everything would be resolved in time. Looking at the long stretch of Moonlight Path, Li De suddenly unfurled his bat wings. In full view of the people, he took to the skies. The road was simply too long. Traveling on foot would be a waste of time. Ascending into the air, his view expanded rapidly. The land opened up before him. To fly was a dream for all humans. Li De was no exception, and even now, he still felt joy every time he soared into the sky. Flying above the road toward the Dawn Mage Tower, the cultivated zones of the Moonlight Plains came into view. A sea of golden light. The ripe wheat fields stretched endlessly under the sunlight, like a vast ocean of Gold Pucks scattered across the land. A breeze swept through, and the wheat swayed in waves, stunningly beautiful and soothing to the eye. Even the scorching air couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the people below. One by one, they carried scythes forged by the blacksmiths, cutting down the ripe wheat in the fields. It was a scene that brought immense satisfaction to Li De. Though vampires didn’t need human food, the soul of China still beat in his chest, and that soul cherished the sight of golden fields. After watching for a while from above, Li De descended at the entrance to the Dawn Mage Tower. Seeing his figure, the Bloodline Descendant guards at the gate immediately placed hands over their hearts and bowed. “Good day, Patriarch.” Because it was daytime, even though the area had been shaded, their faces were still pale, daylight was never kind to vampires. “Where’s Emi?” Since returning, Emi had gone straight to the mage tower. He was now its full-time administrator. With Nilo, a Holy Priest, now at the helm of the Dawn Order, Emi had largely withdrawn from religious duties. Nilo was no less capable than he was. In fact, with her faintly golden eyes and divine aura, she was even more convincing in matters of faith. Much of the recent surge in religious enrollment was thanks to her efforts. Li De currently had no time to manage the Order. He was too busy elsewhere, so he left it entirely to Nilo’s hands. “Marquis Emi is in the Black Tower.” The Black Tower was the main tower of the Dawn Mage Tower, standing 27 Blades tall, it was the tallest structure in all of Dawn City. “Good.” Li De nodded and stepped into the black-colored auxiliary mage tower, which stood 15 Blades tall. The Dawn Mage Tower was enclosed by a five-Blade-high wall, and only through this black auxiliary tower could one enter the interior. But just as Li De entered, he suddenly stopped. A system prompt flashed in front of his eyes, bringing a look of undisguised astonishment to his face. “Ding~ ‘Glory’ closed beta begins. Total closed beta participants: 100,000 Time remaining until full launch: 756 in-game days” A closed beta for the game? Players??

Chapter 202-3: Game Beta Test? Players? (Part 3)

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