Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert Chapter 579

Chapter 579

The sudden emergence of a portal enabling instant transport to the Steel Fortress completely flipped Neo Seoul upside down.

Folks had just found out today about the existence of somewhere named the Steel Fortress, and already such a portal for immediate spatial transfer stood ready.

Unsurprisingly, the public's response erupted like wildfire.

Jin Geumho tested it initially by escorting the district leaders and their top aides to the Steel Fortress.

These leaders, whisked there in a blink, had their eyes bulging in shock.

“Is this even possible?”

“This is insane!”

“This is a revolution.”

“Hah! I’m truly speechless. To think there’s a fortress like this so far away from Neo Seoul, and that we can get here in an instant.”

Had they not felt it personally or witnessed it firsthand, belief would have been impossible.

The Teleport Gem shattered all bounds of their understanding.

Jin Geumho addressed the leaders, whose jaws still hung open.

“Now you see why I called you together. Miss this gathering, and you'd never get access to this portal.”

“Hmm!”

“Hoo!”

Sighs escaped from the rulers.

Once more, the immense divide between them and City Hall hit home.

Seden Price, East District's leader, ventured carefully.

“How will you handle sharing control of this portal?”

“Share it? In your shoes, would you hand out power like this?”

“So City Hall plans a total monopoly?”

“Naturally.”

“Then why bring us here?”

“To offer you a chance.”

“A chance?”

“Exactly. A chance for secure, dependable portal use. As evident, the Steel Fortress lets you reach thousands of kilometers from Neo Seoul safely. Using it as a staging point opens paths for outward growth. I'm granting you safe access to spots like this.”

“Won't come cheap, I bet.”

“Not at all.”

“No need for more words. Just say what we pay.”

Seden Price clenched his teeth.

Safe portal access demanded a steep toll.

He foresaw the heavy cost ahead.

Then Seo Taeran advanced.

“Handle those details with me.”

“Hah! You sly fox again?”

“Highest praise.”

Seo Taeran flashed a chilly smile at Seden Price's complaint.

The other leaders wore grim expressions.

Seo Taeran's involvement always yanked out at least one key support.

Her toughness made her infamous.

Jin Geumho aimed to auction usage shares of the portal to districts.

Districts got seventy percent priority slots, leaving thirty percent open to slum awakeners and small-to-medium raid groups.

Districts gained reliable entry, while independents could join, fostering even progress.

To grumbling leaders, Jin Geumho tossed in,

“Oh, and portals go up at the Magic Stone Mine plus one more spot.”

“Magic Stone Mine makes sense, but another Steel Fortress-level site?”

“Zeon says there's something even grander. That one's under tighter grip. Choose wisely.”

“Ugh!”

“So, surrender all we own.”

“Bandits, that's what you are.”

Refusal wasn't an option against Jin Geumho.

They weren't idiots.

Zeon pioneered the Steel Fortress, they knew.

The next portal spot screamed Zeon discovery too—nothing ordinary.

Tighter controls than Steel Fortress meant superior value.

Zeon eyed Serion.

“Lady Serion.”

“Yes?”

“North District can't pass this up.”

“Elf connection, right?”

“Probably.”

“Got it.”

Serion instantly decoded Zeon's hint.

She bonded closest with Zeon among leaders, grasping his ways best.

Doubt-free, she heeded his counsel.

Districts wrapped deals with Seo Taeran. Deal terms stayed secret. But Seo Taeran's gleeful smirk screamed hefty payments.

Negotiations done, Jin Geumho presented Urtian.

“Meet Lord Urtian, Steel Fortress's master. Want a base inside? Talk to him.”

Barely introduced, Xiaolun pushed ahead.

“I'm Xiaolun. Planning a Steel Fortress base.”

“I spoke first.”

“Assign us prime land too.”

Rulers piled on requests to Urtian.

Urtian's grin split his face.

Bases here promised solid security.

He'd pre-picked district slots.

Raid teams and guilds got spots by the gate for frontline strength.

Human housing from El Harun was reserved nearby.

Population boom loomed, so setups waited ready.

“An underground lake this massive. Staying here's no thirst worry.”

“Terrain screams beast defense.”

“Born fortress. How'd we miss it?”

“Bases here mean deeper desert runs.”

Tours of Steel Fortress left visitors awestruck by its scale and vast lake.

No explanations needed; potential blazed clear.

“Waaa!”

“Neo Seoul folks!”

Steel Fortress kids went wild over strange arrivals.

Desert-born younglings reeled from Neo Seoul visitors.

Neo Seoul awakeners flaunted superior gear and garb.

Bold kids dashed up, chatting freely.

Awakeners smiled back, unfazed.

Urtian watched, murmuring,

“What a wonderful day.”

History marked the first Neo Seoul-Steel Fortress link.

---

Portal access to Steel Fortress news rocketed across Neo Seoul and slums.

Slum dwellers flocked to the portal plaza; Neo Seoul citizens invaded slums.

Guards from City Hall and districts swarmed, yet crowds surged nonstop.

City Hall threw up portal defenses first.

A massive structure housed awakeners and staff on duty.

Towers ringed the site and portal; barriers hummed with magic.

Portal users registered at the building first. Then admins punched panels for Steel Fortress jumps.

Activation panels ranked as vital assets.

City Hall and district guards shielded them fiercely.

The former slum wasteland hosting the portal transformed overnight.

Districts snapped up nearby plots and structures.

Bases and stores bloomed. The portal slum exploded in growth daily.

A century-stagnant slum morphed wildly in months via one portal.

Dungeon divers and beast hunters portaled to Steel Fortress.

Prepped there, they plunged desert-ward.

Once, Magic Stone Mine alone forward-based ops.

North-focused hunts ruled. Now, west via Steel Fortress beckoned.

Local beasts around Steel Fortress? Northern rarities.

Hunters partied.

Fresh beast loot equaled cash.

Steel Fortress locals cashed in guiding Neo Seoul teams.

Top talents locked district raid contracts.

Neo Seoul ties turbocharged Steel Fortress rise. Culture and tech poured in.

First: giant magic stone power plant.

Broken down for haul, rebuilt inside.

Steady juice flipped everything.

Lights mimicked cavern cities; magitech gear and arms hit shelves.

Life standards skyrocketed.

All in mere months.

Grins stuck on faces.

Then shockwave two: Magic Stone Mine portal live.

No more truck hauls under escort.

Load, portal, done.

Speed slashed; stones flowed free.

Steel Fortress scored premium stones easy.

Stone stability boosted Neo Seoul and Fortress alike.

Slums ditched blackout fears for endless power.

Slums rivaled Steel Fortress in wins.

Jobless slum folk portaled to mines or Fortress gigs effortlessly.

Jobs bloomed; cash flooded streets.

“Tsk! That gold mine ours missed.”

Old Man Klexi eyed the slum-center portal wistfully.

Yu Sehee snapped,

“Ours? Could we guard it?”

“Well…”

“Zeon nailed it. Beyond us.”

“I know. Just regretting. Tsk!”

Old Man Klexi licked lips.

Goblin Market and Argos’s Eye slum-dominated, but City Hall and districts dwarfed them.

“Let them manage. We use as needed. Lucky spot—our turf, instant access.”

“Zeon's slum kindness.”

“Obviously.”

Yu Sehee affirmed instantly.

Portal lot sparked surrounds' boom.

Goblin Market traffic surged.

Sellers ditched Neo Seoul treks for local deals.

Market coffers swelled.

“One portal's power stuns. Two links, Neo Seoul buzzes wild.”

“Spot on.”

Yu Sehee agreed.

Portal busted distance chains.

Barriers gone, impossibles turned real.

Slum lifelong, she'd never seen such street fire.

Change dazed.

Old Man Klexi said,

“One more portal link, Neo Seoul explodes beyond dreams.”

“Agreed. Wondering Zeon's next spot.”

“Yep. Zeon picks perfect. Knows already, bet.”

“Slum savior since arrival.”

“Beyond slums.”

“Huh?”

“Desert world's lone hope.”

Old Man Klexi's tone rang absolute.