Chương 227: Reborn as the Dragon — Chapter 227 - Black Dragon Outpost (4)

No living creature may be placed inside a spatial ring, or else suffer the consequences? Su Nian very much wanted to see what those consequences were. Too bad the Heavenly Dynasty player had already been slapped to death. He irritably smacked his own dragon skull. If he hadn't been so impulsive back then, if he'd left that player alive and just cut off the limbs, this would have been the perfect time to put him to use. That had to be remembered.

No matter what it was, making full use of it was the only behavior fit for a giant dragon. Using the psychic network built into Hive Mind, Su Nian contacted Bolikri and the other monster leaders, ordering them to come out of the underground city at once and hurry over to gather the equipment. Then he sat on a rock and studied the new fortification, the Black Dragon Outpost. According to the System's explanation, the Black Dragon Outpost was a fortification structure similar to a city wall.

Its main purpose was still to defend the underground city. It could almost be called the first line of defense for the entire Dark Underground City. But he didn't know the specifics. He would only be able to study it after the Black Dragon Outpost had actually been built. [Constructing the Black Dragon Outpost requires 100 tons of stone, 1000 units of wood, 50 units of obsidian, 10 units of amethyst, and 10 units of gold] [Your conditions are insufficient. Construction unavailable.] Just as Su Nian was about to use the scroll, the System popped up with that prompt.

"The building scroll that dropped still wants me to provide the materials myself? System, how greedy are you?"

"A system like you, aren't you afraid of being hauled into the Cosmic Public Trial Court?" The System: "..." [Please remain calm, Host. The Platinum Treasure Chest is issued by the players' invasion system. This System is only responsible for parsing it and giving the Host prompts. All functions and costs of the Platinum Treasure Chest have nothing to do with this System.]"No relation?" Su Nian sneered.

"Then tell me, can you buy gold jewelry in the System Store?" [Yes.]"Is there an amethyst necklace?" [Yes.]"Your Dark Sovereign Hall is mainly made of obsidian, isn't it? So you should sell obsidian too, right? Hmm?" [... Yes.]"And you still dare say it has nothing to do with you?" Su Nian was furious. His huge dragon claw slammed against the cliff wall with a series of loud bangs. The entire mountainside began to tremble, the shaking growing stronger. It was already starting to look like it might collapse.

The System was speechless. It felt like something was off. But then again, it didn't seem off at all, because the materials needed to build the [Black Dragon Outpost] were all indeed available. Su Nian could buy them directly from it. [Host, please remain calm. If the Host lacks materials, this System can sell the raw materials needed for all kinds of structures at a 10% discount.] If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"What?! 10%?!" Su Nian roared. Thick black smoke poured from his dragon mouth. His crimson-gold eyes blazed. He was clearly furious.

"Look at that ugly capitalist face of yours, you dog System! How much are gold and amethyst worth in this otherworld?"

"You actually want me to spend system points on them instead of just giving them to me for free?"

"And only 10% off? Do you even have any face left?" The System: "..." [The Host may also choose not to buy them and slowly gather the materials. This System, in the spirit of humanitarianism, will not engage in any forced buying or selling. All of the Host's actions are entirely based on the Host's own will.] Su Nian ignored that completely. He blew a smoke ring toward the sky and said viciously, "I'll name a number. 0. 5%." [Sorry, Host. That cannot be done. If materials are exchanged at 0. 5% off, this System will enter a collapsed state.] Su Nian was unimpressed. He had already seen through it last time. This System looked honest and harmless on the surface, but in reality it spent all day thinking about how to skim a cut. He had put so many system points into it before. It had definitely embezzled plenty. Besides, the System's energy could recover on its own. Hadn't it recovered by itself last time after being overdrawn from making equipment?

"Then 1%. Don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. System, we've worked together for years. We're already as close as brothers. You wouldn't make things hard for me, would you?" [Sorry...]"3%! That's my final offer." Su Nian was indignant. The System said nothing.

"5%! If that still doesn't work, then I won't use system points for transformations anymore. I'll just keep laying low like this. Sooner or later I'll still become invincible." Su Nian shook his head and sat hard on the rock, looking every bit the shameless deadbeat who would take it or leave it. Maybe 5% really was the System's limit, or maybe it had been intimidated by Su Nian's threat. After a moment of silence.

The System finally replied: [5% is acceptable, but the Host can only purchase the portion of materials needed for this construction. Any excess will be charged at the original price.] Su Nian thought it over and didn't keep haggling. Exploitation and oppression were deep waters. Too much was as bad as too little. If you wanted the horse to run, you had to feed it grass too. Only then could exploitationism truly be carried forward. He spent half his system points to exchange for the precious materials.

The remaining stone and wood only needed the monsters to haul them in. This area was covered in cliffs and sheer rock walls. It had the most stone. Half an hour later, Bolikri and the other monster leaders arrived with their subordinates and gathered beneath the cliff where Su Nian was. But before they could even catch their breath, they were immediately given new orders to haul stone and cut wood. The monsters didn't complain. On the contrary, the Blazing Rabbit tribe quite liked this kind of work.

It was just exercising in a different place. Not only did it make their muscles more developed, it also helped their Black Dragon master. Why wouldn't they do it?... By evening, all the materials had piled up into a mountain in front of Su Nian and were fully ready. [Conditions met. Please select construction location.] The System's prompt rang out. At the same time, Su Nian found that a map of the area around the underground city had appeared in his vision. There was also a green circle on the map.

That circle should be the coverage range of the Black Dragon Outpost. Su Nian could move the green circle freely. After some thought, he still decided to align the center of the circle with the underground city. That was the placement with the widest possible protection range. Even part of the Silvermoon Mountain Range had been brought under its coverage. Confirm construction!

"BOOM!" The instant Su Nian gave the order, all the piled-up materials seemed to come alive. They rolled and recombined, and the entire earth began shaking violently. The tremor was even stronger than the one from his previous crash out of the sky. The ground in front of him shattered open. Walls and towers rose from the earth. Along with deafening rumbles, the materials spinning through the air rapidly diminished. Trees toppled. The ground cracked and churned.

When everything finally settled and the dust drifted away, a wall-like structure had appeared before the monsters. It was linked to the surrounding cliffs. In the center stood a towering obsidian obelisk. Coiled atop the spire was a Black Dragon with a lofty gaze, wings spread wide, displaying a mighty and imposing form. The dragon looked exactly like their master. This solemn obelisk was about thirty meters tall. It was clearly the signature structure of the Black Dragon Outpost.

Su Nian stood before it, some realization dawning on him, and thrust his dragon claw into a giant groove at the base of the obelisk. Click, click, creak— A series of mechanism-turning sounds rang out from inside the obelisk, as if something had been activated. Then came a low hum. A pale blue light screen suddenly spread outward, covering the area behind the obelisk, before gradually fading and disappearing. Su Nian looked at the map in his field of vision.

He saw that the originally green construction range had turned sky-blue. That blue light screen was the defensive barrier. No matter what sort of invader it was, they would have to pass through the Black Dragon Outpost to attack the underground city. Otherwise, they would be blocked outside the protective barrier. As for the barrier's energy cap, Su Nian glanced at it with Insight. There it was, plainly marked: Demi-god. ➤ Next: Black Dragon Outpost (5)