Chapter 17: The Wealthy Dog Owner's Dilemma, The Holy Light Envelops Forty Miles

About two miles beyond the perimeter of the City Lord's estate lay two mountain ranges, beneath which were buried veins of spirit ore.

Two mining machines were operating incessantly, and beside them, a pile of over ten thousand spirit stones had already accumulated. Because there was no one left to transport them, these stones sat unattended. It went without saying that Su Mu knew both the mining machines and the eighteen million spirit stones in the warehouse were the legacy of the Koster vampire clan. Now that the vampires had been eradicated by his hand, this wealth naturally belonged to him.

"Omniscient Eye, quickly scan these two veins. How much spirit ore is contained within, and how long will it take to mine?" Su Mu commanded.

[Item: Level 3 Spirit Ore]
[Quantity: 36.09 billion units]

The detailed figures appeared before him in an instant.

"How much?" Su Mu’s blood pressure spiked. 36.09 billion Level 3 spirit stones—converted to Dragon Coins, that was nearly 100 billion. This fortune was comparable to that of a mid-tier conglomerate. For an ordinary person, acquiring such wealth would take at least fifteen thousand years. This was absolutely insane!

Money brings courage. With such a massive fortune, Su Mu felt a newfound confidence. "Blade-Slash, don't worry, I will definitely forge you a God-tier set of armor, the kind that even a Level 11 Lord couldn't scratch!" he declared heroically. "Little Dragon, when you're fully grown, I’ll find you two beautiful she-dragons as companions. I certainly won't treat you poorly."

*Gaga-ga!* Blade-Slash’s jaw clicked back and forth, seemingly in laughter. Little Dragon zipped around the mountains, then suddenly spewed a jet of flame into the sky, as if declaring that this territory was now under his protection.

"The two machines only produce ten thousand units of spirit ore a day. At this rate, it would take them a thousand years to exhaust the underground reserves."

Standing there watching for a while, Su Mu suddenly felt the mining machines were too inefficient. Leaving such vast wealth buried underground was not a viable long-term strategy. If it attracted the attention of powerful entities, he might not be able to defend it; he had to get it into his own pockets as soon as possible. In this dark world, sitting on a massive fortune was not necessarily a blessing—it was more likely to invite a fatal disaster.

"I need a thousand mining machines working simultaneously so I can secure thirty million spirit stones in wealth every day! Even then, it would take ten years to clear this out. Sigh, having too much money is truly a headache." Su Mu felt the suffering of the wealthy for the first time. With a helpless expression, he told Blade-Slash and Little Dragon, "Let’s go, we’ll look elsewhere to see if there are any other discoveries."

Blade-Slash followed naturally, but Little Dragon landed on the ground and refused to move another step. Su Mu asked in astonishment, "Why won't you move? Do you want to guard this mine forever?"

*Woo-woo-woo!* Little Dragon let out two cries toward the sky, signaling his agreement. Su Mu considered it and realized it was for the best. A mine of this size needed a guard, and although Little Dragon was only at Platinum 4, the surrounding monsters were no stronger than Bronze or Silver-level fodder. He could handle them easily. If a powerful enemy appeared, a single dragon roar would summon him and Blade-Slash to the fray.

"Fine, stay here then. Blade-Slash, let’s go!" Su Mu continued to patrol his territory.

However, it seemed Su Mu’s streak of good luck had reached its end. He walked over ten miles around the City Lord's estate with Blade-Slash, but aside from a few rabbit burrows, he found nothing.

"Heh, I suppose I was overthinking it. With such a massive fortune already in hand, I should be content." Despite finding nothing else, Su Mu was not discouraged. After all, that fortune alone was enough to last him a lifetime. "Blade-Slash, let’s head back. It’s time to build our Lord’s manor."

Returning to the old manor, Su Mu began a frenzy of construction. The first step was to build an Altar of Light. Count Koster had originally built a blood pool the size of a swimming pool, likely for the vampires to cultivate in—a convenience that now benefited Su Mu.

"By the power of light, purify all evil!" Reciting a slogan he’d learned in school, Su Mu carefully placed the Altar of Light into the blood pool. The altar immediately radiated light, engulfing the pool. The blood was purified instantly, though the flames of the holy light dimmed significantly.

"It’s running low on spirit stones." Su Mu realized instantly, rushing to the warehouse to fetch dozens of stones to toss into the pool. The Altar of Light flared with a sudden burst of brilliance, covering an area of over forty meters.

"Still not enough. I want the light to cover thirty miles. From now on, this forty-mile radius will be my territory!" Su Mu and Blade-Slash worked frantically, adding stone after stone. He had everything in abundance, but spirit stones most of all. To facilitate transport, they even fashioned a small cart from local timber.

After an intense burst of effort, the pool was filled with spirit stones, and the Altar of Light expanded its reach to cover over forty miles, just as Su Mu had desired. Countless dark creatures were reduced to ash under the holy light or fled in agony, severely wounded. Su Mu didn't care; his territory was not meant for dark creatures anyway. Even if the holy light didn't kill them, he intended to conduct a thorough purge later; their flight was merely a sign of their good sense.

Watching the Altar of Light shine with such intensity, Su Mu was filled with a sense of achievement. After watching for a while, he frowned and muttered, "The power is sufficient, but it lacks aesthetic appeal. One day, I’ll build a dedicated Holy Tower and place this altar at the top. That would be more suited to human sensibilities."

But that was a matter for another day. Now, Su Mu had a second major task: building a commodity exchange supermarket within his manor. Normally, a novice lord wouldn't have this right; it was a privilege reserved for lords of Level 10 and above. To purchase supplies, novice lords usually had to rely on private trades or use Dragon Coins on the chat platform’s official exchange, where many valuable items were unavailable, taxes were heavy, and prices were exorbitant—a tool designed to exploit newcomers.

Su Mu was different. Because he had accidentally gained the honor of being the world's first Level 1 Lord, the system had rewarded him with a "Supermarket Construction Card." This meant he could bypass the official platform, avoid taxes, and enjoy a full inventory. As long as he had spirit stones, he could exchange for almost anything.