Leo did not rest.
He opened the resource panel again.
[Gold: 12,748]
[Iron Ore: 14,488]
[Wood: 11,805]
[Food: 15,460]
[Mercury: 570]
[Crystals: 588]
[Sulfur: 605]
[Gems: 580]
There was still plenty!
“Upgrade!”
[Do you wish to upgrade the Imperial Frontline Command to Tier 4?]
[Gold: 5,000]
[Iron Ore: 3,500]
[Wood: 5,000]
[Food: 1,500]
[Mercury: 50]
[Crystals: 50]
[Sulfur: 50]
[Gems: 50]
“Confirm!”
Ding!
A massive amount of resources vanished instantly.
[Imperial Frontline Command upgrade has begun!]
[Construction time: 12 hours!]
Leo glanced at the warehouse again.
[Gold: 7,748]
[Iron Ore: 10,988]
[Wood: 6,805]
[Food: 13,960]
[Mercury: 520]
[Crystals: 538]
[Sulfur: 555]
[Gems: 530]
Heart-wrenching.
Truly heart-wrenching.
A single upgrade had practically consumed half the warehouse.
But it was also completely worth it!
The Tier 3 command had already unlocked a large number of heavy weapon units in the War Fortress.
Once Tier 4 was completed, Stormtroopers and Chimera armored transport vehicles would all be unlocked!
By then, the Armageddon Steel Legion would truly be able to move beyond pure infantry combat.
Leo reached out and opened the War Fortress.
[Tier 3 unit production permissions have been unlocked!]
[Heavy Bolter Squad]
[Plasma Gun Squad]
[Missile Launcher Squad]
These things—
He had been craving them for a long time.
In previous battles, the Steel Legion had relied almost entirely on lasguns and grenades.
They could win, but the casualties were equally staggering.
With true heavy firepower, encountering Tier 4 units again meant they would no longer have to throw dozens of lives at them!
Just as Leo was inspecting the units, the map before him suddenly lit up with a large expanse of red dots.
Terrain rapidly appeared in areas that had previously been pitch black.
Forests.
Hills.
Rivers.
Ruins.
Monster activity zones.
Everything began appearing on the map bit by bit.
Leo was slightly stunned.
[Skitarii Rangers reconnaissance network connected!]
[All Ranger exploration intelligence will be synchronized to the Lord’s map in real time!]
“It can do that?”
Leo’s eyes lit up.
In the past, when scouts went out and discovered something, they had to return and report it or use a communicator to transmit the location.
Rangers were completely different.
As long as they saw it, he could see it right here!
One hundred Rangers had now dispersed in all directions.
The map’s explored area was expanding at a visible rate.
“As expected of the Adeptus Mechanicus.”
Eight thousand gold.
Eight thousand iron ore.
It was outrageously expensive.
But now it seemed that every coin had been worth it!
Leo’s gaze quickly fell to the south.
A Tier 4 Gold Mine!
This place was now one of the most important resource points under his control.
[Tier 4 Gold Mine]
[Base Yield: 30 gold per hour]
[Imperial Miner Advanced Mining Bonus: 15×]
[Current Actual Yield: 450 gold per hour!]
A single day meant 10,800 gold!
Leo had only a little over 7,000 gold left in his hands.
The mine’s daily output already exceeded all his current cash!
“This place must absolutely not be lost.”
The nearby players were still weak right now.
But what about in a few days?
Everyone would expand.
A Tier 4 resource point could not remain hidden forever.
Leo turned and looked at the Mordian Company Barracks.
Just in time.
This force was naturally suited for defense.
“Recruit.”
[Mordian Iron Guard Infantry Squad × 10!]
[Recruitment Number: 100!]
[Gold Consumed: 400]
[Iron Ore Consumed: 200]
[Food Consumed: 200]
Still not enough.
[Mordian Heavy Weapons Squad × 5!]
[Recruitment Number: 25!]
[Gold Consumed: 300]
[Iron Ore Consumed: 250]
[Food Consumed: 50]
The barracks doors opened.
Rhythmic footsteps echoed out.
One hundred Mordian Iron Guards marched out first.
Their bright uniforms.
Neat caps.
Lasguns pressed against their chests.
Even though they had just finished recruiting, their formation did not show the slightest hint of disorder.
Behind them, five heavy weapons squads followed closely.
Weapon platforms.
Ammunition crates.
Heavy firearms.
Everything was fully equipped.
“All of you, head to the Tier 4 Gold Mine.”
“Without my command…”
“No one is permitted to abandon the mining area.”
More than one hundred Mordian Iron Guards simultaneously snapped to attention.
“For the Emperor!”
The troops set out.
Only then did Leo turn his gaze back toward the War Fortress.
The garrison was settled.
It was time to strengthen the main force!
“Yarrick!”
The communicator connected.
Old Bale Eye’s figure appeared on the screen.
“Lord Commander.”
“Lead the existing Steel Legion and expand westward.”
“Received.”
“I will provide you with additional heavy firepower.”
Leo directly placed an order.
[Plasma Gun Squad × 5]
[Missile Launcher Squad × 5]
Twenty-five plasma gunners and fifteen missile launcher soldiers—
A full ten Level 3 heavy-firepower squads!
[Gold Consumed: 750]
[Iron Ore Consumed: 850]
[Food Consumed: 100]
Leo did not stop.
“My own troops get a set as well.”
[Plasma Gun Squad × 5]
[Missile Launcher Squad × 5]
Another ten squads!
[Gold Consumed: 750]
[Iron Ore Consumed: 850]
[Food Consumed: 100]
Red lights flashed continuously inside the War Fortress.
Batch after batch of soldiers quickly marched out.
Plasma weapons emitted a faint energy glow.
Missile launchers were hoisted onto their shoulders.
The Steel Legion force, which had originally relied primarily on lasguns, now possessed true large-scale anti-heavy-armor firepower for the first time!
Leo looked at his troops and nodded with satisfaction.
Now, if they encountered Level 4 Centaur Battle Walkers or anything similar—
Missiles and plasma would be served together!
Who would still bother engaging them in melee combat?
The resource panel refreshed again.
[Gold: 5,548]
[Iron Ore: 8,838]
[Wood: 6,805]
[Food: 13,510]
[Mercury: 520]
[Crystals: 538]
[Sulfur: 555]
[Gems: 530]
His funds had decreased significantly.
But his army was completely different now.
“Yarrick.”
“The west is yours.”
“I’m heading north.”
Leo looked at the map.
What he was looking for now was not just resource points.
He was looking for towns as well!
The first day of Galaxy’s opening was coming to an end.
The Empire’s main city would officially unlock.
Human Empire players would be able to teleport into the main city.
Trade.
Purchase supplies.
Accept quests.
Hire units.
And truly begin interacting with the indigenous forces of this world.
The main city could not easily be shaken.
But regular towns were different.
There were countless villages, towns, and castles throughout the Galaxy world.
They also belonged to the six major Empires.
In his previous life, Leo had personally witnessed a player leading high-tier units to capture a town!
What they gained was not merely a collection of buildings.
Around that town, gold mines, lumber mills, farms, and iron mines all changed hands together!
Occupying a town was equivalent to swallowing a massive resource area in one gulp!
It was far faster than running around the map and searching for neutral resource points one by one.
“Towns.”
Leo stared at the vast, unexplored northern region.
Tier 3 resource points.
Tier 5 resource points.
New gold mines.
He wanted them all.
While others were still fighting desperately over a Tier 2 mine, what he needed to do was plant his flag on all the most valuable locations nearby first!
“Let’s move out!”