When Rekel drew a plot numbered 53 and walked off the stage in overwhelming excitement, the crowd below instantly erupted.
Some people even began to shed silent tears. Though it wasn’t their turn yet, the thrill of their dreams about to come true was overwhelming. Land—this was land! By the Goddess above, how sacred and magnificent a term it was.
And soon, they would each own a piece.
More than half of the crowd consisted of civilians who had never owned land and had always worked for nobles. Their emotions were the most intense and fervent.
Under the watchful eyes of the masses, Li De smiled as he encouraged each person who came up to draw lots.
In truth, he didn’t know what to say to these strangers, so he simply mimicked what he’d seen on TV—patting one person’s shoulder, shaking another’s hand.
He offered a few words of encouragement: “Thank you for your continued contributions to Dawn City. The Saintlight Vampires and I will not forget you.”
“You’ve worked hard. I feel fortunate to have subjects like you. Keep it up and continue contributing to Dawn City.”
“You must be tired lately. Don’t worry, the hardships will pass. I believe in you—keep working hard.”
“Young man, you look spirited. Dawn City needs talents like you.”
Without exception, every civilian he encouraged was filled with gratitude and emotion, and some of the younger ones even shed tears.
They felt that this great city lord was truly worthy of respect. Some even felt a willingness to lay down their lives for him.
A noble lord standing high above, a city lord of prestigious status, and the powerful clan leader of the Saintlight Vampires—wasn’t it something they would remember for a lifetime when he consoled and encouraged them?
Soon, amidst the envious gazes of the crowd below, the first batch of 60 people finished drawing lots.
Next, it was the turn of the ordinary civilians who had been queuing without any points. To speed things up, Li De allowed three people to come up at a time.
For these people, he didn’t say much—just a sentence or two, like “Work hard; your future lies in Dawn City,” or “Keep working diligently.” These were clichéd phrases.
But even so, the goodwill these ordinary civilians felt toward Li De skyrocketed.
Even the third batch of civilians who had initially feared the vampires now saw their fear drop to an all-time low. In just ten days or half a month, these people would surely become staunch supporters of the Saintlight Vampires.
Both Antony and Nick also drew their plots of land. Because they were further back in line, they only managed to draw from the second section of land. But both were incredibly excited.
Though Antony had previously been a merchant, it didn’t diminish his love for land. In fact, due to the Beastmen invasion, his father had sold their land when he was young, which forced him into a life as a wandering merchant without a fixed home.
Now, owning a piece of land meant he finally had roots again. He would no longer have to live a nomadic life.
Nick, the elderly man over sixty, was different. He had spent his entire life farming for nobles and had never owned land. Now, receiving a plot fulfilled a lifelong dream.
The two exchanged glances and spoke in unison.
“Praise the Saintlight Vampires!”
The land allocation continued until noon. Dawn City had 2,200 residents, with exactly 2,000 adults.
Each person received 10 acres of land, totaling 20,000 acres of distributed land.
Of course, for Li De, this was nothing. The land behind the Southern District could accommodate 40,000 people, and less than a tenth of it had been developed.
The lack of population would constrain Dawn City’s development for a long time.
Li De was already mentally prepared for this.
You eat a meal bite by bite, and you handle tasks step by step.
After the lottery ended, the crowd didn’t leave immediately. Instead, they looked at Li De, who had been working under the sun for several Sun-hours, with eyes full of respect.
Seeing the crowd still lingering, Li De was momentarily surprised but then smiled.
“After everyone draws their land number, you can go to the City Hall office to register. Your land information will be archived by the City Hall.
Then, the City Hall will issue you a deed. Once you receive the deed, the right to use the land will permanently belong to you.
As long as you don’t violate Dawn City’s laws, the land allocated to you will remain yours to use forever, and you can pass it on to your descendants. There’s no need to worry.”
The filing process was simple. Each plot’s number had already been registered at the City Hall. Now, they just needed to bring their specially processed lottery numbers to the City Hall to claim their land. Of course, they only gained usage rights.
Li De didn’t want to implement private land ownership or allow land sales. Once land consolidation became severe, it would harm the foundation of Dawn City.
For now, this was his plan. If circumstances changed in the future, he could always adjust it. After all, he was the ruler of Dawn City, and no one had the right to defy his orders.
Absolute power was truly satisfying.
Unexpectedly, after hearing his words, the crowd below didn’t leave. Instead, they continued to gaze at him with an indescribably complex expression.
Looking into those tear-filled, deeply moved eyes, Li De felt a slight stirring in his heart.
“My subjects, you have lived through turmoil and war. I deeply understand your pain and despair.
Therefore, in Dawn City, you will receive everything you once dreamed of.”
“The distribution of land is just the beginning. In the future, you will gain even more. This is Dawn City. This is what the Saintlight Vampires are doing for you.
I believe that under the protection of the Saintlight Vampires, Dawn City will become a great existence.
I believe that one day, through our joint efforts, Dawn City will no longer have oppression, war, poverty, or hunger.
The future is bright and full of hope, and I, Kachar, will lead you toward happiness and honor!!
I, Kachar, promise you that under my rule, you will gain everything!”
His impassioned voice pushed the already excited crowd to a fever pitch.
Someone started it—loud cries rang out across the sky:
“Long live Lord Kachar!!”
“Long live Lord Kachar!!”
The hoarse shouts seemed to release all the excitement pent up inside them.
Everyone entered a state of frenzy, and at this moment, Li De standing on the high platform earned the respect and admiration of all.
He was their guardian deity, the one who saved them in times of peril and brought them to a city safer than the divine realm.
He granted them free housing and food, distributed land to them, and promised to build schools and mage towers in the future for their descendants to study.
Praise Lord Kachar! Praise the Saintlight Vampires!!