Damn, got scammed. Signed up for a makeup class, ran around campus only to be told it was canceled due to low enrollment. Ugh.

—

In his previous life, territory upgrades had been a relentless headache for players. The higher the tier, the larger the army required. Many eventually ran out of resources to sustain their troops, forced to downsize or wage war just to survive.

Beyond that stood the monthly Territory Combat Power Ranking. Rewards scaled with rank—but they were purely construction resources, nothing that boosted real combat strength. In the end, it was all about vanity. Large guilds still fought tooth and nail for it.

Tier 1 granted 1 point, Tier 2 offered 3, Tier 3 gave 5, Tier 4 yielded 8, Tier 5 granted 20, Tier 6 delivered 50, Tier 7 contributed 100.

Only Tier 7 troop combat power counted. Creatures of Tier 7 or higher who had awakened their Fated Artifact were excluded.

“Which to choose? This lake has already decided my path within the Pantheon Realms…”

Qin Yu had made his choice the moment he placed the Territory Core at the lake’s heart and claimed the swamp.

“I choose—Elysian Haven!”

【Selection confirmed. Territory Core activated. First settlers from the Pantheon Realms will arrive in seven days!】

Based on the chosen Pantheon Realm affinity, the territory would reshape itself to suit the newcomers. The Core also unlocked a function to attract wanderers from the main world—guiding them to the territory. Though vital for population growth, they brought instability. Qin Yu disabled it without hesitation.

The Territory Core hummed to life, merging with the lake. Vitality surged outward. Trees sprouted, weaving a natural barrier. Beneath the water, a pocket dimension formed—the Core’s new sanctum. Above, emerald vines braided into a floating residence: the lake villa.

“What a gorgeous villa!!!”

“Tangtang! Look!!!”

“Meh. Nothing compared to mine.”

True, the villa was stunning—a naturally suspended haven. But Tang Jihede remained unimpressed. Hers overlooked the ocean: a seaside mansion worth nearly 200 million…

“Tangtang, please don’t…”

Every time this came up, the girls felt a sharp pang of envy. An inheritance? Acceptable. But Tang earned it herself—esports prizes, stock trades. Annual income over 100 million. So sour… so sour.

“Seems like a decent place.”

Silver Crimson Snow gave a faint nod of approval.

“Aren’t you the coffin-sleeper?” Luna quipped.

Silver Crimson Snow shot her a glare. Luna swallowed her pride and fell silent, vowing revenge once her power returned.

Inside, the villa breathed serenity—wholly organic, yet fire-resistant thanks to the lake. Tang Jihede was dragged off by her four friends to inspect rooms. Qin Yu stepped into the botanical elevator and descended to the Core.

He inserted the Blood Cathedral blueprint.

【Blueprint detected: Blood Cathedral…】

【Construction cost: 100,000 gold, 50,000 wood, 50,000 ore】

【Proceed?】

Half his wood and ore vanished instantly.

“Confirm.”

Vines coiled upward. A medium cathedral rose—weathered, eerie. By day, unremarkable. By night? A blood-stained silhouette.

“Look! When did that appear?”

“Just now… no sound at all. Magic!”

“Where’s Brother Yu?” Bingtang Xueli glanced around.

Qin Yu ascended. He’d also bonded with the Amazonian Tribe—their swamp now part of his domain.

“Brother Yu!” Bingtang Xueli waved eagerly.

“What is it?”

“Offline meetup? To celebrate our guild’s territory!”

“Well…”

Truth was, Qin Yu had little interest. He’d returned to change the past—not linger in reality.

“Pleeease~ Tangtang’s seaside villa is amazing~ You’ll love it!”

“Xueli, don’t push if he’s unwilling,” Tang Jihede said softly.

“Nonsense! Guys need persistence!”

“Alright. But not soon—mid-next month.”

“Yes!” Bingtang Xueli beamed. Game-to-real appearance gap rarely exceeded 20%. She could hardly wait.

After she left, Tang Jihede murmured, “Watch out for my friend. She acts like this around any handsome guy. She’ll calm down.”

“Mm.”

The five logged off—roommates at Tang’s villa.

“See you tomorrow, Brother Yu~ Don’t stay up late~”

Her sweet fuss would melt any ordinary guy. A true innocent-boy assassin.

“Goodbye!”

Silence settled. Only Qin Yu, Silver Crimson Snow, and Luna remained.

“Finally quiet,” Luna sighed. Those girls were lively—especially Bingtang Xueli. Something about her coquettish tone grated on her. (Luna didn’t know the term, but yeah… “green tea.”)

“Servant’s servant—get to work!” Silver Crimson Snow commanded.

Luna shot her a resentful look. “Hmph…” She stomped off.

“Little Snow, satisfied?” Qin Yu asked gently.

He always smiled at her. Outwardly unmoved, Silver Crimson Snow felt a quiet warmth. *This servant… is satisfactory.*

“Mm. Servant, you please me.” She turned slightly. “If free… massage me.”

“Yes!”

His heart leaped. Acceptance. The affection meter read 90—shattering his past record for fastest growth.