CHAPTER 316: CHAPTER 316 - JOURNEY TO THE MIDDLE KINGDOM

At least with Gwen’s ability, Atlas could quickly discover the full potential of those seeds. And her skill in cultivating and reproducing them would certainly become an invaluable asset in the future.

"I’ll let you know as soon as I have any updates about these seeds," Gwen said. "But I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to reproduce them successfully. And if that happens, you might lose these seeds entirely, Atlas. Are you okay with that?"

Atlas nodded calmly. "It’s just one Rank-A item. Maybe I’ll find something similar in the future, maybe not. But if we can analyze these and understand their potential better, it’ll still be worth it. So, I don’t mind if these seeds end up becoming part of your plant collection here."

After that, Gwen had her workers bring several boxes of fresh fruits to the table. Atlas tried a few of them. They were fruits from the lower lands: strawberries, grapes, mangoes, and others.

"You have a collection of fruits like these?" he asked.

She giggled softly. "I have almost every kind, mostly tropical fruits."

"That’s surprising. In the lower lands, these fruits have become rare. Hard to cultivate because tropical regions are struggling. People there can barely survive now, and safe areas are getting smaller. I actually come from a tropical region myself, so I’m quite familiar with these fruits."

Gwen smiled. "I’ve prepared several cubic boxes of fruits for you to take back to Gacha Haven. It should be enough for your people to have a full day of fruit festivities."

"Yes! Oh, I’ve missed these fruits so much," he said, checking the contents eagerly. "You even have durians and jackfruits. These are incredibly rare now, Gwen! You could sell them for a fortune in the lower lands. And the quality... It’s outstanding. I can’t wait to eat all of these myself."

**

Once the visit was over, Atlas, Edrik, and Mira boarded the Nimbus Carriage again. The vehicle lifted gracefully into the air and soon sped away from the lush, green island.

During the flight, Atlas began discussing plans on how they would expand their total forces. This period was usually when the lords descended to the lower lands to recruit new people, although most preferred using the summoning altars for that purpose.

"With your reputation and recent victories, it’ll be much easier for you to gain higher-ranking forces from the summoning altar, my lord," Edrik explained. "Though, for specific roles, especially ones in high demand, it might take more time or effort to find the right candidates."

Atlas nodded thoughtfully. "We need beast tamers as soon as possible," he said after a brief pause. "I think it would be worth making a trip to the lower lands, especially since Luna also plans to go there soon."

Edrik nodded slowly. "I’ll prepare everything and start looking for potential recruits who match what you need. Though we’ll probably have to pay more for a niche role like that."

"I would prefer if they showed loyalty out of devotion, but paid forces are fine too. We can assign them to Shattered Ember, reserved for non-permanent residents. This is important since we’ll need more Soulbinding Armor soon. We have to accelerate production; it’s becoming an urgent priority."

Atlas and the rest of his alliance now had their floating islands hovering above the lands of the Middle Kingdom Union. A union formed from the remnants of the old Chinese, which had since absorbed many surrounding territories.

The Middle Kingdom was vast, home to a large population that had managed to preserve a strong human resource base. They maintained a careful balance between the awakened and the ordinary citizens, ensuring a relatively stable society.

Many lords originally from this Union had returned to settle within its domain, making it one of the most competitive regions among the floating territories. Numerous powerful alliances thrived here, and those ranked at the top often clashed in fierce rivalries with other great factions from both the Union and neighboring continents.

However, the lower lands beneath were considered relatively safe and well-regulated. An ideal place for lords to descend and conduct trade or recruitment. At least, Atlas hoped so, since he was wary of running into Bolin and his alliance during their visit.

By the following morning, the decision was made. Atlas would descend to the lower lands accompanied by Edrik and Kurogasa, his personal shadows. He had considered bringing more Rank-S fighters along, but few were suitable for this particular mission, as they wanted to travel discreetly.

Milo was clearly not an option. Dullorak was far too unstable. Krythalis, though powerful, was a beastkin, and Atlas didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention. Kurogasa, on the other hand, could blend in and move stealthily without issue. Morganna was better left above to guard Vienne.

In the end, Atlas decided to bring Serenith as well, on the condition that she would wear simpler, more ordinary clothing to blend in among the people of the lower lands.

The Nimbus Carriage sped swiftly across the land as Atlas observed the terrain below. Most of the area bore the scars of the past. Massive fractures split the ground, and jagged cliffs rose sharply in several places. Yet, as they drew closer to populated zones, he could clearly see well-maintained roads stretching neatly across the landscape.

There were even a few vehicles traveling along those roads. Though the lands outside human cities were generally dangerous, the people of the Middle Kingdom were known for their relentless monster hunts, which kept trade routes and travel between clustered cities relatively safe.

The Nimbus Carriage gradually descended, landing on a wide open field near one of the main highways. From there, Atlas and his group disembarked, planning to continue their journey to the city using ground transportation.

The only issue was that the vehicle Atlas had brought with him this time was one from Saharasia. The Sandstorm Cruiser, a large, bus-like machine designed for desert travel rather than urban roads.

The trip to the human city would normally take about two to three hours, but they had another plan in mind.

Not long after, a large vehicle appeared in the distance, rumbling toward them. It was a land cruiser with enormous wheels, impossible to miss even from afar.

As the vehicle stopped, Atlas approached, and from it stepped two familiar figures, Luna and Ember.

"Atlas!!!" Ember shouted at the top of her voice, even though they were only a few steps apart.

"My hearing is still perfectly fine, Ember. Probably better than most awakened ones at my level," Atlas replied dryly.

"Hahaha, come on, you know I’m just excited! We’re heading to the lower lands’ city, after all!" Ember said, laughing as she clapped him on the shoulder.

Luna bowed slightly with a polite smile. "Ready to explore the Middle Kingdom, Atlas?"

"Yes, and fortunately, you already came prepared with this vehicle, Luna. I’ll be taking one of them later," he said with a small grin.

With that, Atlas and the others climbed into the vehicle, where Edrik promptly took the driver’s seat and started the engine.

During the ride, Atlas sat in the middle seat beside Luna and turned to her with a curious look.

"Can you explain your plan in more detail this time, Luna? It sounds like I’ll be joining you for it. The auction, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied with a nod. "It’s the grand auction held by the lords, usually twice a year in this region."

"Twice a year, huh? Interesting," Atlas said, his tone thoughtful as he leaned back in his seat, clearly intrigued by the idea.