Fight for the Treasure Chest

In the blink of an eye, the night passed.

Alex had been preoccupied with the matter of the walls, so he woke up as soon as dawn broke.

Today, he didn't plan to return to the Scorched Wasteland to mine. Instead, he led all his units into the mountains behind his territory to gather Stone Materials, intending to reinforce and heighten the walls to enhance the safety of his domain.

The Quarry, now upgraded to the fourth tier, had significantly improved its efficiency.

[Building Name: Quarry]

[Building Tier: Fourth]

[Building Description: Increases the efficiency of Stone Material collection within the territory.]

[Collection Efficiency: 140%]

[Construction Requirements: 500 Wood, 500 Stone Materials, 1,000 Mana]

Upgrading buildings to the fourth tier required considerably more resources, so for Alex, fourth-tier buildings represented the best balance of cost and effectiveness.

As for whether he would upgrade them to the fifth tier in the future, that was a concern for another time.

Thus, he spent the entire morning shuttling between his territory and the mines.

His plants, now upgraded to the fifth tier, were incredibly efficient. Their strength far surpassed that of ordinary humans, making the task of transporting Stone Materials a trivial matter for them. They worked diligently without a hint of hesitation.

Thanks to their efforts, by noon, Alex had already accumulated 500 units of Stone Materials.

Combined with 500 units of Wood, he immediately used the Production Workshop to double the height and thickness of the walls, instantly transforming the perimeter of his territory.

"Alright, everyone, take a break."

Alex called out to the plants that were busy transporting Stone Materials, recalling them back into the territory.

He then set up a fire pit in the territory to roast some meat for lunch, while simultaneously opening the Regional Chat to keep an eye on the latest developments.

"Have you heard? Someone discovered a large iron ore vein in the wasteland near the forest."

"Iron ore? Really? Isn't that the material needed to upgrade territories to the sixth tier?"

"I heard about it too. Apparently, a lot of fifth-tier lords have already rushed over."

"Yikes! Fifth-tier? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Dangerous? It's downright terrifying! I went to check it out today, and it's crawling with fifth-tier lords. They're already fighting outside the mine."

"Damn, good thing I didn't go. Anyone below fifth-tier would be walking straight into a death trap."

Alex was surprised.

He hadn't expected someone to discover the ore vein near the forest so quickly, nor that it would attract so many fifth-tier lords.

It seemed that the mining area had already descended into chaos, with everyone scrambling to secure the resources.

Fortunately, Alex had the foresight to stockpile a considerable amount of iron ore earlier, so he didn't need to compete with these lords. Even if he did, he doubted he'd be able to secure much, and he might end up surrounded by enemies.

"Look at the sky!"

Suddenly, someone exclaimed in the Regional Chat.

Alex, who had been browsing the chat, was startled and instinctively looked up.

The next moment, his pupils contracted sharply.

High in the endless sky, streaks of light had appeared, trailing long tails as they descended toward the Primordial Continent.

The scene was eerily familiar—it was just like the first time the treasure chests had been airdropped!

"Holy crap! Treasure chests! There are more treasure chests falling from the sky!"

"I see them too! So many chests!"

"What's going on? Why are there more chests falling?"

"Is it like last time, with some kind of treasure inside?"

"I heard last time it was Resource Orbs and Unit Tokens."

"Unit Tokens? Awesome! I thought it was just meteors last time and didn't go. This time, I'm definitely getting something from those chests!"

"Quick, check where they're landing!"

The lords were in an uproar, and Alex was equally shocked.

After so many days, treasure chests were falling from the sky again. What did it mean? No one knew.

But they did know one thing: the chests contained what they desired.

And that was enough.

"Looks like I have no choice but to go."

Alex murmured to himself.

Recalling the last airdrop, hadn't he secured his rare unit from one of those chests?

It was precisely because of that rare unit that he had been able to advance so smoothly and stay ahead of so many others.

Whatever was inside these chests, he had to get it.

Having made up his mind, he quickly finished his meal and began preparing.

As time passed, the lords gradually deduced the landing locations of the chests.

One of them, as it turned out, was near the mines in the Scorched Wasteland—the closest one to Alex.

"Damn it! Why did it have to land there?"

"Near the mines? What a coincidence!"

"It's way too convenient, especially at a time like this."

"This is bad. With so many fifth-tier lords around the mines, going there is just asking for death."

"Anyone want to team up and sneak in to grab the chest? We'll split the loot!"

"I think I'll check out the other chests instead…"

It had to be said, the landing location of this chest was incredibly coincidental—right in the most competitive and dangerous area at the moment. It almost felt like it had been planned.

But regardless, the allure of the treasure chest was undeniable.

Even knowing the risks, many nearby lords set out for the mining area, willing to take the gamble.

After all, the contents of the chest were too tempting.

Just a single Unit Token was enough to make countless people drool.

Not to mention the other potential treasures. Getting even one could significantly boost their strength and increase their chances of survival in this world.

Alex was no exception.

Of all the chests, this was the one closest to him.

After making some preparations in his territory, he left with twenty fifth-tier units, leaving five newly recruited fifth-tier units and Ivy to guard the territory.

After about half an hour, he passed through the forest and arrived at the Scorched Wasteland.

The Regional Chat for the Scorched Wasteland was no longer as quiet as it had been a few days ago. Messages were flooding in rapidly.

Even from a distance, Alex could see several lords emerging from the forest, all hurrying toward the mines. This made him frown.

This time…

It probably wouldn't be as smooth as last time.

During the last airdrop, he had managed to secure two items because there were fewer competitors, and people were inexperienced.

But now, everyone knew what the chests contained and were prepared. It wouldn't be so easy to snatch the treasures away. He needed to come up with a plan.

Just as he was pondering this, a private message notification flashed in his interface. An unfamiliar message appeared before his eyes.

"Interested in teaming up? We'll split the loot 50-50."

Alex checked the sender—it was Ryan Mitchell.

Had he also come here, hoping to get involved?

If that was the case, teaming up with him might actually give them a chance to secure something amidst the chaos.

After a moment of thought, Alex quickly replied.

"Meet me in the woods near the mines to discuss."