After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

Worse, not only was the research for the source returning empty until now, but he realized his wallet was also draining at an unprecedented rate!

His purchases were, to his knowledge, much lower than the territory’s income. But lately, he understood that his overall income was continuously decreasing, and there were days that there were dips!

”Why is our money draining?” he yelled, looking at the elders in charge of his treasury. ”I’m pretty sure I had forced you to find out days ago!!”

They already had the pottery problem, and they had already taken this into consideration (they were, in fact, preparing for war against Alterra), but things were getting worse and worse!

”Valov has ordered all trade with us to stop, Milord!” another said. ”The Western territories dealing with us have stopped.”

”Some of our investigators heading east, where we surmise the origin of the drugs is, have been attacked, and they found out they are from Valov...”

”What?” the Lord screeched. ”Why are you only telling this now?”

”We’re still trying to confirm if it’s really Valov—”

”What for?! Isn’t it obviously them? Who else could it be, idiots!” He cursed, slapping another table. ”Those damned bastards!! They’re so arrogant.

”Do they think that just because they’re a subsidiary of a City so far away that they can do anything?”

”Are they trying to expand eastward now?”

”They had Southern territory, didn’t they? That’s why their mercenaries often passed by us.”

”Aren’t they overextending!?”

Generally speaking, for similarly-leveled territories nearby each other, taking over territories near another was seen as aggression.

They had been trying to sell their items to the West because most of the territories they were partnering with in the East had been faltering. But now...even the West was shaky?

”We are not getting a-any orders anymore, Milord...” he said. ”From anywhere.”

”You’re just telling me problems! What are you going to do about it?!”

The Elder flinched. Because the meeting was so abrupt, he wasn’t able to prepare properly, and his people were still scrambling to organise their findings.

”I’m calling the investigators right now, Milord.”

Normally, they’d ask the meeting to adjourn so they could prepare more, but the Lord’s especially murderous mood—likely due to the drugs. He told them that whoever asked for a break might as well accept their head on a platter.

So they had no choice but to wait for all the scouts and investigators to appear, no longer caring whether the information was filtered or combed through.

”So Valov in the west, and Alterra in the east, is that it?”

”Valov is stronger than us, and we cannot fight with them, and this is perhaps why they are so careless,” an elder said. ”I recommend building our strength and levels before going against them.”

”Like cowards?” Mafo asked, eyes reddening, and making everyone in the room shiver.

”We should deal with Alterra first, Milord,” he said. ”It is at least within our rank and has just been upgraded for a couple of months. Many of the territories we had were now theirs, as well. Taking it would mean we could get access to a lot of territories at once.”

”By the time we upgrade to Tier 2, perhaps we’d be stronger than Valov.”

”I also heard that their products have passed over us and have found a market in the West, as well.”

Before, the items were through Twintown. Now, many territories had gone directly, and this meant Alterra’s influence was just growing and growing. The more Alterra grew, the more they had to threaten Voumi!

There had just been so many problems that one had been pushed back. Now it was slapping him on the face!

They also found out after the investigation that Alterra had been slowly entering the maps of many people, particularly those in its region.

They noticed that those who knew them were territories South of them, and it could be traced through their connection with Ferrol Town. The items that leaked out were limited, though, otherwise Alterra’s name would be even more well-known.

Speaking of this, they found out why only few territories in the South seemed to bother with the elementalist territories.

In a sense, the reason why his stock of elementalists increased so slowly was that a lot of territories had started being careful around ’Terrans’, primarily because of Alterra.

Apparently, there had been word that Alterra reduced the purchase limits—whatever that was—against territories that owned Terran Slaves.

Fools!

No matter how good, it was just a newcomer! Why didn’t they just attack it and take everything for themselves? It didn’t make sense!

Now, Mafo and the others didn’t know this yet, but Alterra’s influence for now was still within a certain region. The farthest was probably Twinwave Town, less than kilometers away from Voumi. Glaston Town was also one, but they hadn’t really exposed Alterra much there, and some just outright immigrated.

The farthest exemptions were Bleuelle and Avel City in the South and Southeast, though in those cases, they also hid Alterra’s name as the products were circulating.

Generally speaking, they were in completely independent regions far away from each other, but somehow they reached all the way there! And now they were making a lot more waves than his territory, even daring to overreach and interfere!!

He gritted his teeth. They dare!!

Head muddled by murderous thoughts, he immediately opened his panel to declare war. Even if he was also mad at Valov Town, he had to deal with this arrogant new Town first!

[Alterra Town (Level 1) is not open for war at this time.]

There was silence in the room, and everyone was tense. The Lord was very angry, and his level showed, causing everyone to shiver under the pressure.

Mafo looked at the elders. ”Did they just have a war?”

”It seems to be Basset Town, but that has been more than a week ago already,” the elder said, shaking. ”The two-week threshold should be done within a few days.

Fine! Since it was only a few days, he could wait. He could also take this chance to prepare more, to make sure they crushed that arrogant territory down to its proper place!

”Prepare for war! We will declare it as soon as it’s available!!”

The Elders were just happy they survived, though many were also excited, looking forward to taking over such a seductive place.

”Yes, Milord!”

...

A few days later, Mafo looked at his panel again. His people had made sure they got the timing right this time.

They had also prepared well. They had made sure to mobilize every mercenary team they had based there, as well as hire more from the Mercenary Hall. The limit was not entirely clear, but they definitely danced along the limits.

”It should be over now, Milord,” the Elders said, indicating he could now declare war.

Mafo nodded. He was calmer now, but also quite excited.

The more he heard about Alterra in the past few days, the greedier he got. They might be the source of funds he had been waiting for!

They had been trying to interfere with his economy. Heh! Let’s see what they could do against brute force!

[Alterra Town (Level 1) is not open for war at this time.]

”What?!”