Chapter 82 – Philanthropist "Mr. Florida Man" Builds Apartment for Homeless People, Sued by Locals
After sending the disciples back to the store, Leo resumed working at night. He walked toward the east and picked a large area near the three small houses.
Leo opened the domain shop menu and browsed the decoration section.
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Stone Road
Requirement – Humble General Store Level 4
Price – 1 Year of Lifespan
Space – 1 x 1
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Asphalt Road
Requirement – Humble General Store Level 4
Price – 3 Years of Lifespan
Space – 1 x 1
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Concrete Road
Requirement – Humble General Store Level 4
Price – 5 Years of Lifespan
Space – 1 x 1
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There was no point in building stone roads or asphalt roads. Leo picked the best option, the concrete road. Even though he might waste a lot of lifespans, he didn't care.
Leo began drawing, drafting a layout of a short road. He created a ten meters wide and 100 meters long concrete road, cutting between the general store and the farmlands. It headed from west to east, but it didn't connect to other roads.
5 x 10 x 100 = 5,000 years of lifespan. It was a small price to pay as the system would automatically repair and evenly level the ground. This would serve as a walking street. Since no car existed in the cultivation world, there was no need to consider building a sidewalk. Just a plain road was enough.
Moreover, it was more pleasant to look at, and it would somewhat get rid of the wet mud and the dirty soil. In the future, when the disciples or customers would enter and leave the store, their shoes wouldn't be so dirty.
Leo left the road alone for now. He turned his attention to the big project – The apartment.
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Employee Apartment
Requirement – Humble General Store Level 8
Price – 10,000 Years of Lifespan
Space – 20 x 50
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It would take a lot of space. Leo looked at the grid map while he counted his footsteps as he walked. For three hours, he surveyed the east section of his domain, designing and deciding how he should build it.
After a long contemplating and calculating, Leo chose to build it five meters away from the third small house. The apartment faced toward the south so that the residents would get enough Vitamin D from sunlight all day long. Although a few residents would find it annoying, it was none of Leo's business.
RUMBLE
After choosing the place and pressing the confirm button, a two-story tall apartment was erected.
Leo looked at it and frowned. It looked too shabby to be called an apartment. Instead, they should be called a slum motel. The rusty zinc roof, rotten wood walls, half-broken doors, windows without a cover, and dusty doorknobs looked so nasty that even homeless dudes in California might find it repulsive to live in.
He counted the wooden doors on the first floor and discovered that the building came with 10 rooms. Including the second floor, this motel building featured 20 rooms. However, the entire building was only 50 meters long, so the rooms seemed to be too small for a human.
Still, Leo was optimistic. He remembered that he hadn't upgraded it yet. He touched one of the nasty walls to open the building menu.
DING
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Employee Apartment Level 1
Apartment Size – (1/10)
Apartment Quality – (0/10)
[Upgrade] – 10,000 Years of Lifespan
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Looking at the upgrade cost, Leo almost demolished the entire building. He had the urge to punch the creator of his system as the upgrade cost was too expensive.
Still, Leo wanted his employees to have the best living condition and hygiene. He spent 70,000 years of lifespan, raising the apartment to level 8. Then, he put some points to apartment quality, increasing it to level 5. As for the rest of the points, they went to the size.
DING
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Employee Apartment Level 8
Apartment Size – (3/10)
Apartment Quality – (5/10)
[Upgrade] – 10,000 Years of Lifespan
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The building transformed. Instead of a slum-like flat, the building had two more floors, expanding the capacity to 40 rooms instead of 20. In addition, the windows, walls, doors, flooring, and the roof were no longer disgusting.
The walls were default brown planks. Judging from the texture, it hadn't been sanded yet. However, it looked new. As for the doors, they were made from metal and plastic. It looked fragile, but it was aesthetic enough for country bumpkins. The glass windows were barred, preventing thieves from getting inside. As for the floor, it was covered by a low-grade linoleum, protecting the hard floor from stains. However, it came in plain white color, so it looked weird.
Leo inspected each room and found out that the rooms were bigger than they appeared on the outside. Once again, the system played with the space to fool outsiders. As for the toilets, they were still a primitive squat toilets without a bidet.
After seeing the toilet, Leo facepalmed. He left the disciples to their fate if they needed to take the number two. After all, there was no tissue in this world.
"Do I need to teach them the three-seashell method? Meh, I don't need to. They're probably better than me."
Leo stopped inspecting the toilet and checked the rooms next. Unfortunately, the apartment had only two electrical outlets, and no air conditioner or heater existed. The disciples might find this place very cold in the winter.
As there was nothing that Leo could do, he left the apartment building and called it a night. He would tell the disciples to move there tomorrow.
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3 AM, the same night
Ye Tianxie finally arrived at Magpie City after a long detour. He slipped into Magpie City and reached the tavern. He mustered his courage and approached the second floor, where Yan Zhu had been staying.
Upon walking up the stairs, two bodyguards of the soul transformation stage raised their hands, preventing Ye Tianxie from getting closer. They wore high-graded artifact armor, which emitted a different color.
The guy on the right had red armor while the other's was green. Strong fire element essence came out from the red man. As for the green guy, he was cladded in wood essence. Despite staying under a roof, they wore a metal mask and battle helmets, covering their faces.
"Ye Tianxie, the prince is resting. If you have anything to say, come back in the morning."
Ye Tianxie looked at the two bodyguards. They were the vice generals of Yan Zhu's army, and both used to be sword saints' disciples. They could use swordsmanship techniques from the Life Sword Sect and the Death Sword Sect.
Facing the two scary swordsmen, Ye Tianxie didn't dare to provoke them. Moreover, there were four others, and they were the master of Earth, Water, Metal, and Wind Elements.
"Alright. Please tell His Highness that I have an urgent report."
The red general snorted, "Just report it to me. I'll tell him."
"…"
Ye Tianxie gave the red general a meaningful look. He turned around and walked away while he confessed his failure.
"The negotiation fails. The scouts are dead. Tang Xuan abandoned me and fled back to the capital."
The two generals were surprised. They rushed down the stairs and stopped Ye Tianxie from leaving. The green general grabbed the man's shoulder.
"Wait. What about the essence stones? What about the secret mine?"
Ye Tianxie snorted, "I'll report to his highness in the morning."
"You…"
Ye Tianxie pushed the green general's hand away. Then, he picked a table to sit and meditate, waiting for the sunrise.
The generals didn't bother him. The red general turned around and went to the prince's room to make the report. He entered the room and discovered the prince and his four mistresses on a king-size bed.
The concubines were none other than the water general, wind general, metal general, and earth general. During the daytime, they served as the prince's vice generals. But during the night, they were his wives.
The prince and his four wives were naked, but a thick curtain blocked the general's view. The latter could only see their naked silhouettes.
The red general lowered his head and ignored the usual scene. He reported, "Ye Tianxie has returned, your highness. It seems that Tang Xuan and Ye Tianxie have failed. His unit is wiped out."
Yan Zhu stopped playing with his wives. He sat up and talked through the curtain.
"What about Tang Xuan? Has that geezer died yet?"
"I'm afraid not. Ye Tianxie said that he fled to the capital and abandoned him."
"That fool… Well, if that geezer fails, that only means one thing. Are we dealing with another quasi-immortal?"
"That… I don't know."
"Hmm."
The prince jumped out of the bed and pushed the curtain aside. He walked toward the red general and glared at him, "Where is Ye Tianxie?"
"He's downstairs, your highness."
"Bring me to him."
"… Yes, your highness."
The prince put on his robes and left the room. He walked to the first floor and found Ye Tianxie waiting for him at a tavern table. However, as it was nighttime, no servant came out to serve him food.
Yan Zhu calmly sat at the same table. The green general went to the kitchen and brought the prince a large wine jar full of premium wine. Then, he gently poured a cup for the prince.
Ye Tianxie also noticed the prince's arrival. He opened his eyes and knelt, "Long live, your highness. Ye Tianxie has returned to make a report."
"Tell me," Yan Zhu drank the cup of wine and slammed it on the table.
BOOM
The wooden table was broken in half.
"Ye Tianxie, where are the essence stones and the mine? Who is Florida Man? How strong is he? Also, why did Tang Xuan retreat? What happened to your unit? Tell me everything!"
Facing the bombardment of questions, Ye Tianxie sweated profusely. He slowly looked up and answered one question at a time.
"W-We face a sixth-stage plant monster. As for my unit, they…"
For hours, Ye Tianxie narrated the events that he had gone through.
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Meanwhile, Tang Xuan reached the Cauliflower City unharmed. He rushed to the imperial palace to inform the emperor about his findings.
As Tang Xuan took several long strides into the palace, another quasi-immortal suddenly appeared behind him. Fortunately, the person had no intention of harming him.
Without looking back, Tang Xuan could tell that the quasi-immortal behind him was a thin and short elderly man from the Situ Clan. He stopped walking and asked the elder.
"What are you doing here, Situ Nantian?"
Situ Nantian snickered and took off his straw hat, "Why? Can't I visit the emperor? I was the chancellor before you took the title from me. Also, I have every right to visit my disciple."
"The emperor doesn't need your guidance anymore, Senior Situ. Please retire quietly and let me do the job."
"Hehe. Can't I even visit my disciple? You have quite a black heart, little Tang?"
"…"
Tang Xuan didn't banter with his rival. He continued walking toward the emperor's palace.
Seeing that Tang Xuan ignored him, Situ Nantian followed him to the emperor's palace. He also complained about Tang Xuan's relative.
"Hey, brat. It has been a while, but I have an issue with your clan's grand elder. Can you tell him not to come after me whenever I'm fishing? I'm not in the mood to make talismans when I'm enjoying my hobby."
"Tell him yourself."
"But he's your son. He will listen to you."
"He's already 800. He's an adult. He can do whatever he wants."
"Tsk. You're an irresponsible parent. No wonder your clan is in decline during these 500 years."
"…"
Tang Xuan remained patient. He kept walking until he reached the entrance to the throne room. There was no guard there, and the doors were wide open as if the emperor was waiting for their arrival.
Both old men entered the throne room and found the emperor sitting on the throne by himself. No attendant or guards remained behind as it was 3 AM.
"You're back early, Chancellor Tang. Also, welcome back, master."
