Game of Thrones: My Weekend Trips to Earth Chapter 77 77

After enjoying a warm and "fulfilling" Christmas with the family, Luke cited "global business demands and year-end matters requiring attention" as his reason for taking leave from the Daddarios.

Frank and Susan were reluctant but fully understanding.

They knew Luke was no ordinary young man—he was a young billionaire with enterprises in Dragon Kingdom, Arica, and across the world that needed his oversight.

The fact that he had taken several days to visit showed both sincerity and how much he valued Mia.

"Work cos first, Luke. You're always welco here," Frank said, giving Luke's shoulder a firm pat.

"Safe travels, dear. Keep in touch," Susan gave him a warm hug.

Grandpa and Grandma fussed over him with endless advice and even slipped him a jar of homade jam from their farm.

Little brother Jack secretly winked at him and made a "money" gesture with his hand, only to have Luke smile and ruffle his hair.

On the night before his departure, the basent living room received another "visitor."

This ti, it was Mia and Alexandra together.

The sisters seed to have reached so sort of "agreent" or "tacit understanding." With a mix of shyness and boldness, they spent Luke's last night in Arizona in a passionate, unforgettable way—almost as if they wanted to lt the reluctance of parting and their hopes for the future into each other's warmth.

Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, Luke drove the Range Rover away from the Daddario house under Mia's reluctant farewell kiss and Alexandra's aningful gaze, beginning the journey back to Los Angeles.

Mia and her sister stayed behind in Phoenix to spend the rest of the Christmas holiday with their family.

Shortly after returning to the Beverly Hills mansion, Luke's professional yet always-testing-the-boundaries sexy accountant—Monica Chance—arrived in her signature red-bottom high heels, "thud-thudding" over to "work overti" and report.

In the study, she placed a thick stack of financial reports in front of Luke, then, without warning, tossed her still-warm black stockings—carrying her body heat and faint perfu—lightly onto his face.

Luke: "…"

"Monica, what are you…" Luke helplessly pulled the stockings away.

Monica crossed her arms and leaned against the desk, her curves striking beneath her business skirt.

Her expression was a complex mix of professional scrutiny, helplessness, and seductive charm.

"Dragon Kingdom boy!"

Her red lips parted, her voice lazy yet straight to the point.

"I must seriously remind you… if you continue investing, acquiring, and throwing money around the globe in such a seemingly random and reckless manner like you have for the past two months… those four hundred million dollars you worked so hard to earn will be gone before long."

She flipped open several pages of the report and pointed at the numbers. "Look here—that rubber processing plant in Southeast Asia, outdated equipnt and a saturated market, and you bought it at a 30% premium? That small mine in South Arica with vague exploration reports—you poured in eight million dollars? And those unprofitable R&D studios in Europe, those money-losing factories and supply chains in Dragon Kingdom… I simply cannot understand your investnt logic! This doesn't look like sothing a man who created a miracle in the diamond market would do!"

Her tone carried genuine worry and confusion.

In her eyes, so of Luke's investnt decisions looked like throwing dice, completely defying standard comrcial risk assessnt and return expectations.

Luke sniffed the stockings at his nose, looked at Monica's slightly flushed cheeks from agitation and puzzlent, and smiled calmly.

"Monica, it seems… you still don't quite understand , or what I'm really doing."

His investnts had never been about short-term financial returns.

Every seemingly "random" move was a potential key node for connecting resources, technology, and channels between the two worlds, or a "laundering" and "value-adding" platform for specific materials.

He was after strategic positioning, channel control, and future possibilities—not the numbers on a quarterly report.

Of course, he couldn't explain any of this to Monica.

Monica stared at him for several seconds, as if searching his eyes for answers, but ultimately saw only deep, calm resolve.

She bit her lower lip, her bright red tongue unconsciously licking across it. Her gaze turned dangerous and seductive.

"It seems so… our understanding of each other is clearly not 'deep' enough yet."

She stepped closer, leaned down, and almost pressed against his ear, her breath warm and sweet. "Perhaps… we need so 'in-depth communication' outside of work to improve that understanding, my dear billionaire boss?"

"Deep and shallow exchanges?"

Luke could sll the alluring mix of her expensive perfu and feminine pheromones.

He steadied himself and gently pushed Monica back a little, keeping that sa gentle but firm smile. "Monica, I greatly appreciate and need your professional abilities."

"As for 'in-depth communication'… I think it's better if we maintain a pure and efficient employer-employee relationship. Let's focus on the urgent tax and year-end report issues first."

Monica pouted, refusing to back down. She planted one high-heeled foot on Luke… she was determined to give him a proper investnt lesson!

She had long known this man had principles and seed unusually loyal to that college girl Mia.

But… that was exactly what she wanted. She wouldn't be interested in soone disloyal…

After handling the urgent financial and tax matters Monica brought, Luke finally had a mont of quiet.

"Whew, finally so peace. I've been a bit 'dizzy from the brush' lately…"

"That little succubus… she really knows how to suck a man dry!"

He no longer hesitated. With a thought, his figure vanished from the luxurious modern mansion and returned to that cold, windy world full of wild ambition and the clamor of construction—Westeros.

Dragonrise Plateau beside the God's Eye.

The sight before him lifted his spirits.

The changes here since he had left were nothing short of earth-shattering.

On the high ground, neatly stacked piles of bricks numbered in the tens of thousands of cubic ters!

There were standardized red bricks, gray bricks, and cent bricks from Dragon Kingdom kilns, as well as locally trial-produced "pure clay bricks" mixed with preliminary cent.

Nearby were mountains of bagged cent with Chinese markings, rebar of various specifications, prefabricated floor slabs, aluminum alloy doors and windows, and other modern building materials.

Even more eye-catching were several piles of "modular" wall panels and bricks covered with waterproof tarps. They were prefabricated to precise specifications with perfect joints, like giant Lego blocks.

What truly shattered the dieval construction site aesthetic were the several roaring steel behemoths at work:

Two large yellow bulldozers moved like unstoppable bulls, easily leveling and compacting the soil on the plateau. Two backhoe excavators swung their powerful chanical arms, precisely digging foundations and trenches.

Farther away, more than a dozen small excavators worked like industrious ants across broader areas; several heavy engineering trucks shuttled back and forth, hauling earth, stone, and materials.

The roar of diesel engines, the clash of tal, and the chants of workers blended into an atmosphere filled with the power of the industrial age.

This was the first batch of large-scale engineering machinery Luke had "transported" from Earth under the guise of "special equipnt imports"!

Their presence had elevated the core infrastructure speed of Draco by more than one level.

According to the plan, they would first use the machines to efficiently excavate a massive underground space, creating a solid "underground palace" for storage, shelter, secret workshops, and more.

Then, once the foundation and basent were complete, they would use the "modular" wall panels and bricks to rapidly assemble the first core main building of the Purple Forbidden City—like building with giant Lego blocks.

Luke estimated that, if everything went smoothly and with sufficient manpower, within half a year a magnificent main castle blending Eastern and Western architectural aesthetics, with a modern-material core, would rise on this high ground!

It would be a miracle in Westerosi architectural history and the most direct symbol of House Jaqenion's power and "magical" strength.

On the military side, after continuous recruitnt and screening, the Jaqenion Family Guard had expanded to twelve hundred n.

This included absorbing so rcenaries who had perford outstandingly in the White Ridge Battle and were willing to accept strict discipline.

Those "naturalized" forr rcenaries had undergone their initial baptism of blood and fire. Under the dual influence of generous pay and rigorous training, they were gradually transforming into professional soldiers.

Of course, a considerable number of rcenaries still preferred the free, easy-going lifestyle of taking money and doing the job. They couldn't adapt to the guard's emphasis on discipline, honor, collective identity, and long-term service.

Luke did not force them. They remained in the "Foreign rcenary Legion," serving as the fief's outer mobile defense force and "white gloves" for certain special missions. Their pay was decent, but far below the benefits, promotion paths, and long-term security of the formal guards.

On the population side, thanks to continuous refugee recruitnt—especially the population obtained through the defeated nobles' compensation terms—and the fief's own attraction (jobs, food, safety, money), the number of people under Luke's actual control had already surpassed sixty thousand!

And it was still growing slowly. Luke accepted everyone regardless of their origins or possible motives. As long as they worked honestly, they were welco.

The massive population base provided abundant labor for the various "Production Teams," "Construction Teams," "Land-Clearing Teams," "Transport Teams," and "Road-Building Teams."

Construction progress therefore accelerated dramatically. Every day new houses were completed, new roads were widened, and new fields were cleared.

However, massive developnt also brought massive consumption.

At this mont, Steward Arthur stood beside Luke, the ever-present notebook in his hands, brows tightly furrowed, his tone filled with worry:

"My lord, I must report a serious issue. We now have over twenty thousand laborers on payroll every day, plus the guards' and rcenaries' salaries, growing food consumption, tool wear, and building material purchases… our daily expenditure has already exceeded our inco from trade!"

"Especially food—the cost of transport and storage keeps rising…"

He flipped through the ledger, pointing at line after line of alarming figures:

"Although we still bring in over two hundred thousand gold dragons per month from selling Mithril Salt, Velvet Snow, fine wines, and other goods, that money… is almost imdiately paid out again as wages and procurent costs."

"The grain reserves in the warehouses are slowly declining. The growth of gold dragons in the treasury has stalled and has even begun to show a net outflow. At this rate, with our current reserves, we may not be able to sustain ourselves for many more months!"

Arthur's concerns were valid.

Luke had to admire the old steward's sharp mind—this fellow would make an excellent capitalist, as he deeply understood the vampire logic that "less profit is the sa as loss"!

The plan this month was to earn 200,000 gold dragons in profit. If they only made 199,900, that was considered a loss… note that this was "profit."

Earth capitalists operated exactly like this—earning less was losing! Arthur had learned the lesson well.

Luke's previous model had been: use "magical goods" to earn massive amounts of gold dragons, then use that gold to purchase labor and materials for construction while paying high wages to attract population.

It was like a high-speed flywheel that required continuous external capital injection (trade surplus) to keep it lubricated.

Now, with the population explosion and expanded construction scale, daily consumption had surpassed trade inco. The flywheel was beginning to slow down and risked stalling.

Luke listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously tapping on a cold prefabricated cent slab beside him.

His gaze drifted toward the busy construction site in the distance and the erging outlines of the Draco urban area even farther away. His eyes were deep.

Arthur was right—the books were out of balance.

But Luke felt no real panic.

He was no longer the cautious newcor who had just arrived and feared attracting attention.

After the maneuvering in King's Landing, the show of force at White Ridge, the accumulation of capital on Earth, and his global layout, his foundation was far stronger than before.

"It seems… it's ti to change our strategy, accelerate the pace, and really swing our arms to do sothing big," Luke said slowly, his voice decisive.

"We can no longer rely solely on external trade for blood transfusions. We must make the fief's internal economy circulate so that most of the gold dragons we spend flow back into my hands."

He turned to Arthur, his eyes bright. "How is the 'comrcial street' project we planned earlier coming along?"

Arthur's spirits lifted. He quickly replied, "My lord, the main structure of the comrcial street is progressing smoothly. At the current pace, it should be basically complete by the end of January."

"The shops you planned—the large supermarket, specialty taverns, clothing stores, restaurants with different flavors, milk tea shops, candy shops, luxury goods stores, inns, and the 'foot-washing city,' upgraded public bathhouses, and massage parlors you specifically requested… are all working overti on interior decoration and stocking."

"It's just… my lord, will these shops really attract custors? The common folk may have so spare money now, but they're more likely to save it or spend it on practical things like grain and tools."

Luke smiled, his eyes flashing with confidence. "Arthur, you don't understand. Once people have money, they naturally develop needs beyond re survival. Comfort, enjoynt, entertainnt, socializing… these are all 'needs.'"

"The gold dragons I pay out cannot simply sit in their pockets or beco grain stored in cellars. I need to create an environnt where they willingly spend that money on improving their quality of life and enjoying services."

He pointed toward the forming comrcial district. "The supermarket will offer a wider, cheaper selection of daily necessities than the market."

"The taverns will serve affordable but good-tasting ale and stories from distant lands. Restaurants will provide als at various price points. Clothing stores will sell sturdy work clothes and perhaps so more presentable garnts. Inns will accommodate traveling rchants. The foot-washing city, bathhouses, and massage parlors… will offer relaxation and pleasure. Most of these shops will be directly operated by my 'companies' or managed through franchising and rent collection."

"This is a virtuous cycle."

Luke's thinking grew clearer. "I sell goods to earn gold dragons, then use those gold dragons to buy labor and materials. The laborers build and produce for and receive gold dragons in return. Then they use those gold dragons to buy daily goods in my supermarket, eat in my restaurants, and relax in my bathhouses… and the gold dragons flow back into my hands."

"And they, in turn, gain a better life, more choices, and… the motivation and sense of belonging to continue working for ."

"Moreover," Luke's eyes shone even brighter, "as comrce flourishes, it will attract more outside rchants and craftsn, bringing new goods, technology, and tax revenue. The fief's internal economy will co alive and even generate surplus."

"At that point, we won't just be self-sufficient—we'll be able to use the surplus gold dragons to purchase scarcer resources, invest in longer-term technologies, and arm an even stronger military!"

Arthur listened to Luke's description, his eyes gradually lighting up.

He had only seen the danger of expenditure exceeding inco, but Luke had painted a blueprint of a vibrant, self-sustaining social ecosystem built on the fief itself, combining internal and external circulation.

This was not rely solving a fiscal problem—it was constructing a truly living, attractive society!

"I understand, my lord!" Arthur's voice was once again filled with energy. "I will personally oversee the quality and progress of the comrcial street construction! I guarantee that by the end of January the first batch of shops will be ready to open for business! At the sa ti, I will begin drafting the shops' operating rules, pricing strategies, and staff training plans."

Luke nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Rember, construction quality is paramount. Do not sacrifice quality for speed. What we are building is a foundation that must last decades or even centuries. As for the shops… we can run so initial discounts and promotions to build popularity and consur habits first."

The cold wind still howled, but on Dragonrise Plateau, Luke's heart burned with fire.

After Arthur left, Luke murmured to himself, "Natives, you don't know I still have the ultimate weapon of real estate. Mortgages are coming~ I must arrange the 'thousand-year loan' package for the good folks of Westeros!"

( Since Luke was once drenched by the rain, others must get wet too—or hold the umbrella for others. )

He could already envision the prosperous scene soon to co: Draco lit up at night, filled with rchants and crowds, common folk using the money they earned through labor to enjoy life.

It would be more than just a magnificent castle—it would be the embryonic form of a kingdom with its own blood-making ability, full of vitality and hope.

The seasons in Westeros were chaotic and unpredictable… but the spring of House Jaqenion seed to be quietly brewing amid the clamor and planning of this lakeside construction site.

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