Blackstone City was no longer the same.
Where chaos once ruled, order had begun to form—an uneasy, fear-driven order, but order nonetheless. The streets were quieter. The gangs had either submitted or disappeared. The markets had reopened under strict rules.
And at the center of it all was one name.
Zhang Wei.
I stood atop the city wall, gazing at the endless land beyond. The Outer Domain stretched into the distance like a wild, untamed beast waiting to be challenged.
The system panel hovered before me.
[DING!]
Major Arc Completed:
Blackstone Conquest
City Authority: Stable
Public Fear Level: Extreme
External Recognition: Confirmed
New Arc Initiated:
Regional Conquest Phase
Primary Objective:
Expand influence beyond city borders.
Recommended first target:
Iron Ridge Outpost.
Threat Level: High.
Reward Potential: Major.
I smiled faintly.
"So the next battlefield is ready."
Footsteps approached behind me.
Kang Yu stopped a few steps away.
"The city is stable," he reported.
"The smaller factions have fully submitted. No one dares move without permission."
I nodded.
"And the capital?"
"They've withdrawn their observers," he said.
"But they're still watching from a distance."
Good.
Let them watch.
Fear spread faster when people could see it grow.
Below the wall, a group of cultivators stood in formation.
Not an army.
But strong.
Former faction elites.
Mercenary captains.
Independent fighters.
All of them now served under one banner.
Mine.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Subordinate force detected.
Total combatants: 63
Average rank: Enhanced
Commander-level subordinates: 3
Army Formation option available.
Reward:
Passive authority growth.
Battlefield synergy bonuses.
I stepped down from the wall.
The group straightened instantly.
Some bowed.
Some simply lowered their heads.
Fear and respect.
Both useful.
Kang Yu stepped forward.
"Are we really leaving the city?" he asked quietly.
"For now," I replied.
He frowned.
"That's dangerous," he said.
"If we move out, other factions may try to take Blackstone."
"They won't," I said calmly.
He looked at me.
Confused.
"Why?" he asked.
I met his gaze.
"Because they know what happens to those who try."
He didn't argue after that.
I stepped in front of the gathered fighters.
Dozens of eyes locked onto me.
Some nervous.
Some excited.
Some hungry for battle.
"Beyond these walls," I said calmly,
"there are outposts, trade routes, and territories controlled by weak rulers."
Murmurs spread.
"We take the nearest one," I continued.
"We claim it."
One of the fighters raised his hand.
"What if they resist?" he asked.
I smiled.
"Then they become examples."
Silence followed.
No one asked another question.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Army morale detected.
Fear-based leadership effect active.
Combat efficiency: Increased.
Passive growth: Active.
Power +4.
Even standing still, I was growing.
This was what true authority felt like.
The gates opened.
For the first time since I conquered the city, I walked out of Blackstone with an army behind me.
Dust rose beneath our feet as we marched across the outer road.
The system panel updated.
[DING!]
Leaving controlled territory.
Warning:
Passive growth reduced.
Combat-based growth recommended.
I exhaled slowly.
"Good," I murmured.
It had been too quiet lately.
After several hours of travel, the Iron Ridge Outpost came into view.
A crude fortress built into the side of a rocky hill.
Wooden walls.
Watchtowers.
Dozens of guards.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Target detected: Iron Ridge Outpost.
Ruling faction: Red Pike Clan.
Total combatants: 90+
Commander-level leader detected.
Threat Level: High.
Recommended action:
Decapitation strike.
I stepped forward.
"Wait here," I told Kang Yu.
He frowned.
"You're going alone?"
"Yes."
Before he could argue, I vanished.
Shadow Step.
I appeared inside the outpost courtyard.
Guards froze.
"W-who—"
Too late.
I moved.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
Bodies fell.
Panic spread instantly.
"Enemy attack!"
"Commander-level intruder!"
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Fear absorption: Rising.
Power +6.
I walked toward the central hall.
Doors burst open.
A large man stepped out, axe resting on his shoulder.
Red armor.
Scarred face.
Commander Rank.
"So you're the fool causing trouble," he growled.
"I'm Zhang Wei," I replied calmly.
His eyes widened slightly.
Then he laughed.
"The Blackstone tyrant?" he sneered.
"You've got guts coming here alone."
I stepped forward.
"I don't need anyone else."
He charged.
The ground shook beneath his steps.
His axe descended like a falling boulder.
I dodged sideways.
Shadow Step.
I reappeared behind him.
My fist struck his back.
He staggered.
But didn't fall.
Strong.
He turned, roaring, and swung again.
Our weapons clashed.
Shockwaves ripped through the courtyard.
Guards fled in terror.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Commander-level combat detected.
Growth acceleration active.
Power increasing…
Heat surged through my body.
I stepped forward.
Punch.
Kick.
Elbow.
Each strike carried more force.
The enemy commander's expression shifted from confidence to shock.
"What the hell—"
My knee smashed into his chest.
Bones cracked.
He stumbled backward.
I didn't stop.
Shadow Step.
I appeared above him.
My heel crashed down onto his shoulder.
He slammed into the ground.
Stone shattered.
Silence followed.
He tried to stand.
I placed my foot on his chest.
Hard.
"This outpost," I said calmly,
"belongs to me now."
He coughed blood.
"…Monster," he muttered.
Then he collapsed.
Unconscious.
The system pulsed violently.
[DING!]
Commander defeated.
Outpost control achieved.
Reputation surge: Regional.
Power +21.
New territory acquired:
Iron Ridge Outpost.
I looked around.
Guards stared at me in fear.
No one dared move.
I turned and walked back toward the gates.
Outside, Kang Yu and the others waited.
When they saw me return alone, their eyes widened.
"Well?" Kang Yu asked.
"It's done," I said.
He blinked.
"…Already?"
I nodded.
"Take the outpost," I said.
"It's ours now."
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Regional Expansion successful.
Territory count: 2
Next recommended target:
Silver Road Trade Route.
Reward potential: Major.
I looked toward the horizon.
The land stretched endlessly.
Full of enemies.
Full of opportunities.
Full of power waiting to be taken.
"This is just the start," I murmured.
And this time—
I wasn't climbing inside a city.
I was climbing across a region.