Chapter 68: Spiritual Medicine
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
There were less than 24 hours left!
The Day of Ultimate Darkness was about to descend!
Hang Yu still calmly observed developments from all sides.
The in-game photos taken by Players in the core pollution zone had now fermented through the internet in multiple circles, attracting a large number of netizens' attention, even making headlines in several news outlets.
Voices of doubt continued.
However, the influence truly expanded.
This dark Three Kingdoms game, with its unique gameplay and settings, along with nearly sci-fi black technology, even caused a stir overseas on social media.
Although the current influence was still small, and most of the discussions were filled with doubts or trolls who refused to believe that the Xia Nation could create such an amazing game, there were already over a thousand overseas players who had made reservations one after another.
It was estimated that in the near future, Players from different time zones and skin colors would join the game!
The continued breakout of Twisted Three Kingdoms was within expectations.
Instead, it was the Players' performance that slightly surprised Hang Yu.
He had thought that under the multiple stimulations of urgency, survival pressure, and generous mission rewards, this bunch would definitely get hot-blooded and recklessly charge at the enemy, howling all the way.
In reality, that was not the case.
The Players had not attempted to challenge the core pollution zone in the past two days but instead kept expanding the map toward the southeast, madly hunting wild monsters centered around a swamp.
They were collecting a material called Concentrated Toad Oil!
Seeing this much.
Hang Yu had roughly guessed the Players' plan.
He had to admit he had underestimated these guys before.
Hang Yu had always recognized the Players' ability to come up with schemes; they were never just a bunch of reckless fools, so he was curious to see what tricks they would pull off this time.
Hang Yu did not guide or interfere with the Players.
On one hand, this came from his own confidence; Hang Yu believed that even if the Fourth Calamity Army did nothing, with his current strength comparable to a Level 10 Commander and the backup of eight elite soldiers, surviving this crisis would not be too difficult.
On the other hand, the number of toad monsters was not very large, and while collecting Concentrated Toad Oil, Players had slaughtered a large number of other monsters, including even two Lesser Nightmare Sources, contributing two talent points to Lord Hang Yu.
The Players' backpack space was very limited.
Other than the Concentrated Toad Oil, which was sent to Hexi Village for the villagers to help create containers for storage, other food and materials obtained were used to complete resource tasks.
And that was exactly what the territory needed!
Hang Yu asked, "Give me the resource reserve details of the territory."
Xiao Ba immediately reported, "Master currently possesses 192 Abyssal Magic Crystals, 1,355 portions of Tier-One Material Essence, 2,012 portions of Tier-One Materials, 4,041 portions of Tier-One Food, 31,550 units of Essence, and 85,485 Abyssal Magic Stone Fragments."
In less than three days.
Players had contributed a large amount of resources!
Basic resources were crucial to the development or production of a territory.
For example, Tier-One Material Essence, which could be transformed from any material.
It was the foundational material for building various structures, crafting equipment, and strengthening equipment, with massive demand, thus the more the better.
If Players did not kill wild monsters.
The territory would lack basic materials.
From the construction and upgrading of key buildings to small things like Players wanting to enhance their weapons, all would be forced to a halt.
Recently, both elite soldiers and Players had consumed a lot of materials to upgrade equipment, plus the construction of several buildings, leaving the territory's materials almost depleted.
At the same time, Hang Yu had eased the territory's financial situation by selling 3,000 portions of food at good prices and in exchange for various goods, leading to a shortage of food as well.
Now, in just two or three short days.
The situation had been alleviated.
This was mainly thanks to the Players' fearlessness and willingness to take risks, combined with the tenfold drop rate ensuring high yields; economically speaking, wild monsters brought higher income than humanoid ones.
When the number of territory Players reached 80.
Hang Yu paused further recruitment, because counting the eight elite soldiers, the current territory's recruited population had already reached 88/100.
Unless more barracks were built or existing ones upgraded, the territory could only recruit one more batch of Players before reaching the limit.
After some thought.
Hang Yu decided to reserve twelve spots for the regular army.
After all, as the number of Players increased, the regular army also needed to maintain a certain proportion to provide a baseline defense for various sites and also act as a force to manage and deter Players.
Of course, there was another reason.
That was, Hang Yu was running low on Abyssal Magic Crystals.
Since building the Trading Hall, Hang Yu had earned nearly 400 Abyssal Magic Crystals by selling food, then got another 400 from a Fortune Chest, and then sold over a hundred recycled pieces of equipment — though their quality was generally low, exchanging for less than 200 crystals.
On the surface, it seemed Hang Yu had over a thousand Abyssal Magic Crystals.
However, recruiting three batches of Players had cost 600, building the Spiritual Field cost 100, and buying seeds cost 200.
Now, he was almost out of money.
Fortunately, the food stockpile was still sufficient.
Hang Yu planned to take advantage of the currently high food prices to sell off some unused food in exchange for Abyssal Magic Crystals; crystals would never expire, whereas food would rot if stored too long.
As long as he captured the core pollution source.
He could immediately obtain a considerable number of Abyssal Magic Crystals.
Hang Yu would then be able to open new maps and launch the second round of closed beta recruitment, greatly increasing the territory's population limit and the number of Players.
Suddenly, Xiao Ba reminded, "Master, the herbs you planted the day before yesterday — most of them have matured."
"Really? That fast!"
Hang Yu immediately brought Bai Mu to the Spiritual Field.
At first glance, the so-called Spiritual Field didn't seem too special, just a flat stretch of black soil, currently growing three kinds of spiritual plants.
One was a red herb, one was a blue herb, and the last resembled ginseng, tended by ten old farmers from Hexi Village, taking care of these precious crops.
"Not bad!"
Hang Yu nodded in satisfaction.
These three Spiritual Medicines were called Scarlet Moon Grass, Blue Moon Grass, and Dragon Pattern Ginseng!
With experienced old farmers from Hexi Village tending them, plus the powerful boost effect of the Spiritual Field, the first two had basically matured.
In the future, when the number of Players grew.
They could open more fields.
Allow some lifestyle and casual Players to learn auxiliary planting skills and participate in farming, enriching the game content so that it wasn't just fast-paced fighting and killing.
"Scarlet Moon Grass and Blue Moon Grass are common materials — the former can be used to refine Healing Pills that restore life, and the latter can be used to refine Energy Pills that restore mana."
Bai Mu sniffed and instantly knew what was planted in the Spiritual Field.
"As for Dragon Pattern Ginseng, it's a relatively rare and uncommon material. With a suitable main material, it can be used to refine attribute-enhancing medicines."
Alchemists, like Forgers, had many functions.
Besides making traditional red and blue potions, they could also craft various auxiliary items and enhancement medicines.
Among them, permanent attribute enhancement medicines were the most precious!
Such medicines could permanently increase attributes, and if mass-produced, not only would they boost the territory's strength, but they could also be sold for very good prices, earning considerable profits.
Each Spiritual Field had limited Spiritual Energy supply, which directly determined the number of spiritual plants that could be grown.
This small Spiritual Field was ten meters long and wide.
It could plant about 1,500 Scarlet Moon Grass or Blue Moon Grass.
That sounded nice, but that was the ideal number when only planting one kind; if rarer, higher-level Spiritual Medicines were planted, the Spiritual Energy would be squeezed, reducing the quantity.
If overloaded or if conflicting spirit plants were planted, it could cause slow growth or even large-scale withering.
The Lord Academy had special courses teaching this.
As an outstanding graduate, Hang Yu's theoretical knowledge was definitely solid; currently, he had planted 200 Scarlet Moon Grass, 400 Blue Moon Grass, and 30 Dragon Pattern Ginsengs, just within the Spiritual Energy supply range of the Spiritual Field.
Scarlet Moon Grass and Blue Moon Grass naturally needed only about two hundred days to grow; with the Spiritual Field's hundredfold growth boost, they could mature in just two or three days.
Hang Yu was very satisfied: "This way, the territory will have a stable supply of medicines, not only strengthening the army but also improving production efficiency."
At this moment.
Xiao Ba's prompt rang in his ear.
"Master, your Fourth Calamity Army is heading toward He Ting Township."
Hang Yu was slightly stunned upon hearing this.
Then he showed an interested expression.
So these guys, after two days of preparation, were finally about to take action? Hang Yu decided to keep real-time attention on them!