Chapter 763: The Time Tower

"The total Merit Source those foreign cosmic elites accumulated through our clearance order is about 1.6 billion units..." Teal said, still unable to believe it himself.

"This..." Nash was also unable to form a word. Even his estimates didn’t reach this high. If the Chaos Stones from tax were mere pocket change, the Merit Source was more than what they could earn.

"Increasing the number of foreign high-level cosmic teams possessing the Eternal Military Outpost was really the right decision."

"Indeed. Even if we couldn’t collect tax, the Merit Source alone was more than we could ask for."

While resources could only be sought after, Merit Source could be obtained passively through the clearance order. Every bit of dark origin essence miasma in the unexplored domain area was basically Merit Source lying around.

Thinking of tens of thousands of Eternal Military Outposts collecting billions of Merit Source each month, Nash decided to stop selling them to the major alliances for the moment.

"How many Eternal Military Outposts do we currently possess? What about our production capacity?"

"Over the past four months, we managed to produce 14 thousand Eternal Military Outposts, with 3,500 monthly production. We sold 1,000 to each of the seven major alliances and 2,000 to each of the other two major alliances. 600 were deployed to the dark gates we built a few months ago, leaving us with 2,600."

"2,600... Plus our production a month later... Good. Leave 1,500 to the Eternal Star Alliance and sell the rest to those high-level cosmic teams we contacted before. Prioritize those who have already joined the expedition." Nash said after a little thought.

To maximize efficiency, they could only take 3,000 Eternal Military Outposts on an expedition. Any more than that, and they wouldn’t have enough manpower to venture deep into the core of the unexplored domain area.

Most of the Eternal Star Alliance’s cosmic elites were still scattered across the territory, especially those Tier 6 powerhouses and above.

Just the runic engraving team he assembled numbered over ten trillion. Coupled with the personnel building the Eternal Military Outposts, building the dark gates, and controlling the outflow of dark beasts in their area, the expedition was basically last on their list of priorities.

If not for the lack of core materials for their various production lines, they might not even have started an expedition. The same could be said of those major alliances, busy stabilizing their territory and managing the dark gates; they didn’t have enough hands to spare for an expedition.

Of course, the Grand Race Sovereign Alliance was different. With 10 times the size of everyone else, they had plenty of hands to work. Nash had heard they were even planning to conquer a second Forbidden Domain to serve as their territory.

All in all, only high-level teams who only thought of earning and surviving had the leisure to embark on an expedition.

"However, the price of each Eternal Military Outpost has now reached 1,500 mother core ships. No high-level team could afford it." If the price were only in Chaos Stones, then some high-level teams might be able to afford it. However, with the payment in mother core ships, no one could.

"Then loan it. As long as they pay the deposit of 300 mother core ships, they can pay the remaining balance with their harvest, totaling 600 million."

During these past few months, with the SSS-class outpost in production and sale, the value of the mother core ship had also skyrocketed. It rose from a mere 100,000 Chaos Stones to 500,000. Even then, demand far exceeded supply.

"Loan? That’s too..."

"What’s there to worry about if they can’t pay it? In that case, it’s even better."

600 million was not a small amount. Based on the average income of those high-level teams, it would take them over 20 years of continuous expeditions to pay it all.

However, once they couldn’t pay, wasn’t there only one solution? Join the Eternal Star Alliance and become a part of their faction.

"You’re truly insidious, Lord Nash!" Teal smiled, quickly understanding Nash’s intention.

"If they brave the unexplored domain area, they can naturally pay in time. However, if they stick to their safety mindset, then they’d better join us sooner."

After discussing a few more things with Teal about the expedition, they went their separate ways.

---

Back in the Altier Arcane Tower, Nash began to ponder what to do with the lump sum of Merit Source in his hands.

"1.6 billion Merit Source..."

This Merit Source was just the first batch, from 3,000 Eternal Military Outposts accumulated by those foreign high-level team alliances. With about 5,000 more outposts added from their production next month, plus the following months, he estimated the number could exceed 30,000 by the end of 6 months. By then, the Merit Source could reach up to 3 billion a month.

"I didn’t expect I would have the time to worry about where to spend Merit Source."

The Eternal Time Server and his runic engravers could no longer withstand further acceleration of time. Unless he developed a more potent Faith Potion, Nash didn’t dare to increase the current time acceleration arbitrarily.

As for using the time acceleration himself, it was useless. He no longer had any books to read, or any monotonous task that only needed his input.

He couldn’t deduce the Mind Hive Module with his own efforts. He also needed the output of the runic engravers from the Eternal Time Server. Without any runic patterns to work with, how could he deduce the module system any further?

Nash immediately thought of putting those scientists and professionals to work deducing the Dimensional Array formation.

"This won’t work..."

The number of Eternal Military Outposts they would be taking on the next expedition would also double from 1,500 to 3,000. Naturally, the Merit Source they would earn would also double.

"10 million extra Merit Source each day... What about using it on the Eternal Star University?" Nash’s eyes lit up.

As the population grew, the little Professional University of the Neon Star Alliance naturally expanded and was renamed Eternal Star University.

The former Professional University now occupied an entire Forbidden Zone. Furthermore, it took in not only the most talented seeds of various professions, but also talents in other disciplines. From management, humanities, and business to talents comparable to cosmic elites with top affinities, potential, physique, and more.

Eternal Star University was the culmination of the alliance’s top talents. Even cosmic elites came to study, hoping to improve themselves further.

"It’s you! Let’s see how you spend 10 million Merit Source each day." Nash smiled.

Calling Julius, he asked him to distribute the 10 million Merit Source regularly. There were no restrictions; everything was up to him and the professors’ discretion. As long as there were results, it was fine even if they wasted it.

Since he couldn’t spend it himself, he would let others spend it for him.

"It’s time to work on the Mind Hive Module..."

---

Eternal Star University Forbidden Zone:

A few days later, a notification was sent to each student, announcing the addition of a Time Tower.

"Look! It says the Time Tower has an accelerated time server of up to 100,000 times!" Lilia muttered in surprise. She was an SSS-class weapon manufacturing genius from the first batch of the Neon Star Alliance. Looking at her friends, Hoover and Charles, she couldn’t wait to find out what it was about.

"It must be accelerated by Merit Source." Charles, an SSS-class potion-making talent, said.

"I know this! This is the fruit of the dark gates! I didn’t believe it’d be our turn to experience its rewards!" Hoover muttered in excitement. As an SSS-class battleship-manufacturing talent, he sometimes ventured onto the battlefield, experiencing different environments in the void.

"Don’t dilly-dally! Let’s go." Lilia dragged the two along.

As the first batch of talents discovered by the Neon Star Alliance, they were at the top of their class, reaching Tier 6 in their respective professions.

However, with the unification of the Eternal Star Alliance, talents comparable to their level numbered in the thousands, making them common.

Wanting to prove themselves and avoid shaming the former Neon Star Alliance, they were eager to improve.

---

Soon, upon arriving at the Time Tower, they were greeted by a line of students also wanting to try it out.

The Time Tower had 100 floors. Reading through the guide, they learned that each floor had a corresponding 1,000-fold time acceleration. This meant the 100th floor should have a 100,000-fold time acceleration as advertised.

"We’re late. It’s too crowded here." Lilia complained, blaming the two for being too slow.

"Hey, isn’t it because you were distracted and stopped for some snacks?!"

"It’s still your fault!"

Unable to push through the crowd, they could only wait for the rush to subside. Fortunately, before they could leave, a staff member of the Time Tower found them.

"Welcome, Eternal Fire Lords. We have a special express lane for you. Please follow me."

"Oh? We have a dedicated express lane? Haha, being one of the Eternal Fire Seedlings is really great!"

Each SSS-class talent was granted the title of Eternal Fire Seedling, a kindling of fire that could forever illuminate their civilization. Not only were they given a large allowance, various restricted permissions, and various perks, now they could even skip the line.

Passing through the tide of students, they finally stepped inside the tower. Unlike what they expected, the interior was just a plain white marble floor, with a heavy door in the center and stairs leading up on the side.

"How does the Time Tower work? Is there something we need to pay attention to? What about the payment?" Full of curiosity, they began to ask question after question.