Chapter 218: Monopoly
"In a moment, I’ll go chop down some Dark Trees and make them into the shape of cars. Then, you’ll be able to drive these vehicles through the Dark Forest to reach other cities."
"Just like how you once took the bus to another Dungeon, that bus too was made from Dark Tree wood. But living beings can’t stay in the vehicles for long—if they do, they’ll be tainted by the aura of the Dark Trees and eventually get devoured."
As soon as Jiang Che finished speaking, Feihu was momentarily stunned.
She remembered the time she took the vehicle to other Dungeons, and passed through that stretch of Dark Forest.
At the time, she thought, in such a bizarre world, that forest seemed peculiarly quiet.
No insects, no birds calling, and no strange evil spirits wandering about—this forest was like an anomalous entity in the sinister world.
There was no living creature, only pervasive deathly stillness.
It was like a forbidden zone for life. So when she heard they would go to the Six-Star Pond Dungeon, she didn’t doubt it in the least.
She only thought Six-Star Pond was special, and that’s why its outskirts were so quiet.
It was only now she realized that even in the Evil Spirit Realm, Dark Trees were a headache even for Evil Spirit Lords.
No wonder that bus could travel freely in the sinister world,
Since that vehicle was made from Dark Trees all along.
Thinking of this, she frowned. "If that’s the case, I don’t agree with you telling everyone how to make the bus."
"I hope you can keep this method to yourself."
Feihu considered many things. She was not only thinking about the present, but about longer-term survival and development.
Now, everyone believed that once the passage fully opened, it would mean humanity’s doomsday.
But in her mind, that wasn’t necessarily true.
Because humans had already fought evil spirits for many years, though all the fights so far were short-term—one day, three at most.
Yet, by now, humans had already created their own Dungeons and built their own cities.
If the evil spirits returned, they might not be able to wipe everyone out so quickly.
Looking at it that way, this could turn into a long-term war of attrition.
If humanity could one day muster strength to rival the Evil Spirit Lords, maybe their cities could truly survive long term.
As long as you’re alive, there will inevitably be trade.
Whether Evil Spirit Lords reopen the bus routes in the future is unclear, but for now, this route can stay in Jiang Che’s hands alone.
"And if I remember correctly, that bus even charged us some so-called fare back then, which proves that the Evil Spirit Realm really does have currency for transactions." She was thinking deeply—no matter what that currency was, it had to be useful.
Jiang Che nodded. The currency in the Evil Spirit Realm was small spheres of energy split from one’s own essence.
Just an hour’s worth of energy, absorbed by a Tier Three Junior, was enough to pay for a fare.
For lower-level beings, such a meager amount meant they had no need to travel to other cities anyway.
For evil spirits with long lifespans, it was only an hour’s worth of energy.
Back then, when Jiang Che got off the bus, Hua didn’t give the driver any trouble and paid the fare for their party.
To Hua, their fare was no more than a single breath’s effort.
"Indeed, they collect energy as bus fare, and absorbing such energy can cut down a lot on time needed for growth." He himself had absorbed energy Ding Ning had snatched from Dark Star before.
"Yes, if you monopolize it, those around you can grow much more quickly." She looked at Jiang Che earnestly.
The tougher things are, the more you must secure advantages for yourself and your people.
If getting stronger isn’t for protecting those by your side, or getting benefits for them, then there’s really no point in getting stronger at all.
As the ancients once said: ’If poor, guard your virtue alone; if successful, aid the world as well.’
In her eyes, Jiang Che had not yet reached the level of being ’successful’.
"Fine, but I still need to tell them that there can’t be too many people in a Dungeon."
"Why?" Feihu was stunned. Just a moment ago, when speaking with her father remotely, he’d mentioned plans to expand their city by building more levels onto the flat buildings.
That way, more humans could live and survive here.
"Because if too many living beings settle here, the Dark Forest will stop at nothing to invade." After Jiang Che finished, Feihu felt her heart skip a beat.
Now, the biggest problem for humanity was that there were too few habitable places.
The strong were few, but the population was huge.
Even if every city was packed to the brim, it wouldn’t be enough for everyone.
Yet Jiang Che was saying they couldn’t let too many people live here?
Then what are people supposed to do?
What about those already living in these cities?
"Besides attracting Dark Forest’s corruption, too many people leaves no room in the Dungeon for challenges."
"Most people created open Dungeons, with no challenge space, but if that’s the case, when a challenger enters the Dungeon, wouldn’t the people living there just be one-sidedly slaughtered?"
When Jiang Che finished, Feihu finally understood.
True, in most people’s Dungeons, there’s almost no challenge area at all—every section is used for living space, with no distinction between combat and daily life.
She’d seen many Dungeon livestreams. The evil spirits’ dwellings were very spread out, practically one spirit per zone, never so overcrowded.
Which meant every evil spirit had its own little hunting ground.
"There are many evil spirits who dislike fighting and just stay off in a different area. You just never go there—they’re all separated." Jiang Che pointed to his own Dungeon, trying to tell Feihu that his situation was similar.
"So what about people like my dad?" Feihu’s voice trembled. Her dad created his Dungeon too early and never set an exit for it.
Now, they had taken in countless humans—it was like leaving the door wide open, waiting for invaders.
"If no challenge area was set, then nothing can be done." Jiang Che sighed.
He had asked Ding Ning if there was a solution, but Ding Ning only shook her head.
Because once an anchor point was established, any subsequent annexation counted as devouring, requiring the destruction of the original owner.
If her father didn’t have his own Dungeon, Jiang Che could have simply brought him into his own territory, then opened up a space in the Dark Forest, stationed him there as a subordinate, and have his Dungeon become a vassal of Jiang Che’s.
But sadly, he already had his own Dungeon.
"If he dies later, he can designate you as the inheritor, and then you can set up challenge areas." That was the best solution.
"Alright, I’ll tell him to drive most people out." Feihu sighed softly.
If it weren’t for fear of being swallowed by the Dark Forest, these Dungeons without challenge areas would be the best residential zones for humanity.
Because here, there are essentially no challenge areas at all.