Super Game System-Otherworld King: Rise to Power

Ronald was momentarily stunned, then asked, "What's this about? System, care to explain?"

"The host may choose to complete the task immediately, in which case the rewards will be issued according to the current task completion status. Alternatively, the host may choose to wait until the task's deadline to claim the rewards."

Without hesitation, Ronald chose to delay the reward.

The territory had over 30,000 people, but only about a third had loyalty over 60%. It would be foolish to claim the reward now. The deadline was still far off—waiting would surely yield a bigger reward.

"System, didn't I still have an item card left? Use it for me."

Ding! The host has used the item card and obtained: Mechanical Workbench.

"Nice!" Ronald laughed heartily. It seemed luck was on his side today. The workbench was a key piece for crafting various items. With the energy core in the territory providing stable electricity, it would be put to use immediately.

Stepping out of the room, he called for Cuihuan.

"Don't just stand around! Go mine all the nearby copper ores. I have a big use for them!"

"Yes, Master!"

With the colonists sent to work, Ronald returned to his room to continue his training.

Strength, after all, was the foundation of everything.

Five days later in the Ringworld.

The base's alarm blared. Another attack was incoming.

"Alert: A group of pirates has air-dropped near your colony. They are preparing to assault shortly."

"Pirates?" Ronald mused. With the colony's current defenses, unless the Tianzhou Group launched a large-scale assault, he wasn't worried about hunters or mechanical troops. Pirates were nothing.

He initially thought of ignoring it, but then a thought struck him.

Hunters excelled in combat—what about pirates?

With the shipyard already under construction, wouldn't these pirates make perfect sailors for his navy?

He dashed outside, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Cuihuan! Capture them alive!"

Fifteen minutes later, the battle was over.

All thirty pirates had been wiped out. Not a single one escaped.

Cuihuan and the others had managed to capture twenty alive. The prison cells were nearly full.

Ronald inspected the pirates' stats and confirmed what he expected—they were skilled in naval combat.

"Cuihuan, treat them well. We'll recruit them as quickly as possible!"

Ten days later.

Ronald had spared no expense this time, spending a large portion of the colony's silver to purchase follower cards. He now had ten pirates under his command. The leader, named Jack, was at the first level of Body Refining, while the other nine were at a bottleneck. With the help of Vitality Pills, they'd break through soon enough.

In addition to the pirates, Ronald had also recruited a man named Damu, a craftsman he had captured during his first raid. After joining the colony, Damu had made significant progress, especially in manual work. After some consideration, Ronald decided to keep him on as a core member. He would be in charge of the workbench from now on.

"Jack, take your group and report to Aqiang. He'll assign your tasks."

"Yes, Master."

The ten pirates nodded in unison and left the cave. Since the system would implant basic knowledge of the territory in them, they could begin work right away.

"Damu, go find Aqiang as well."

"The copper mines are already here. Tell him to hurry up and lay the cables. If you can't manage, ask his wife, Cuihua, for help."

Ronald pointed to the blue mechanical workbench in the corner of the cave. "From now on, this is your responsibility. Start by making some basic components. I'll guide you through the rest later."

"Understood, Master!"

With the tasks assigned, Ronald walked out of the cave, hands behind his back.

Autumn was slipping into winter, and snowflakes drifted from the sky. It had been over a month since the battle against the bandits. Now, the Yunlan Plain was covered in thick snow, stretching out into a vast white expanse.

In the distance, a towering city stood against the snow-covered land.

Yunlan City, the largest city on the Yunlan Plain, home to over a million people.

Located east of the Yun Cang River and bordered by the Sun and Moon Kingdoms, the city was originally built by the Elven race. However, after a member of the Crimson Fox clan performed great deeds for the Elves, the city was handed over to the Foxes. Over time, the Crimson Fox clan became the true rulers of the city, even though it still officially belonged to the Elves.

Yunlan City was a melting pot of races, with nearly every species from the region represented in the city.

At the City Lord's Manor.

A middle-aged Crimson Fox man stood by the window, gazing out at the endless snow. The Crimson Foxes, unlike the Minotaurs or Gnolls, resembled humans in both shape and appearance, except for their crimson ears and bushy tails that marked their true heritage.

The middle-aged man was handsome, his eyes sharp as he stared into the distance, lost in thought.

After a moment, a Crimson Fox servant entered, bowing slightly. "Lord, the scouts have returned. The battle in the north was between humans and the Demonkin and bandit forces."

"Humans?" The Crimson Fox lord furrowed his brow. "The humans are already fighting the Blood Wolves and Barbarian Bulls. What are they doing causing trouble here?"

The servant hesitated, then said, "I've heard that these humans are not aligned with any faction. They are a band of marauding horse bandits."

"Bandits?" The lord was taken aback. He chuckled. "With their fighting ability, they're not hiding in the cities, but going around robbing and pillaging? How many of them are there?"

The servant hesitated, unsure. "According to the scouts, there seem to be only three to four hundred of them."

"Nonsense!" The lord scoffed. "You're telling me that a mere three to four hundred humans defeated over ten thousand bandits?"

"Go and investigate further!" he ordered.

As the servant bowed and turned to leave, the lord suddenly stopped him. "Have you gathered any intel on Dongshan City?"

The servant frowned. "The defending army there is only around five thousand, but Lord, the humans send tribute to the Elves every year. Without their approval, we cannot act without permission."

"The Elves are too busy with their own troubles to care about this place," the lord replied, waving his hand. "Go ahead, make your move."

The servant opened his mouth to protest, but the lord raised his hand to silence him.

Moments later, alone in the room, the Crimson Fox lord stared at the distant Dongshan City. A glint of cunning flashed in his eyes.