After everyone signed the contract, Xu Yuan transferred spirit stones to them according to their cultivation level.
Some received two or three hundred, others seven or eight hundred.
He gave away over two hundred thousand spirit stones in one go!
This secretly shocked him.
Only five hundred-odd people had consumed so much.
If he were to be responsible for the consumption of everyone in the battle division, even with a net worth of several million, Xu Yuan would feel immense pressure.
After all, if it were only a return based on consumption, eighteen times the amount for eighteen people would only be enough for three hundred and twenty-four people.
Even considering that the women like Xu Yuan had higher cultivation levels, consumed spirit stones faster and more recklessly, and used them for cultivation, the return would at most be five or six times more.
In other words, the spirit stones they consumed could at most support one or two thousand people.
This doesn't even account for the fact that the mid-grade spirit stones they consumed couldn't be returned, and that not everyone among the eighteen people had enlisted.
For example, the two large sums of spirit stones Xu Yuan had given Jiang Xuansu weren't even half used up yet.
He couldn't just give out spirit stones in large quantities before they were all used up.
Even with the highest level of goodwill, it's best not to test human nature lightly,
especially given his own fickle nature.
Now, trapped in Guanlan City, there's no need to worry about anyone running away.
Under normal circumstances, if Xu Yuan gave each person tens or hundreds of thousands of spirit stones, one or two, or even several, would run away with enough resources to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, Xu Yuan wouldn't be surprised at all.
After instructing everyone not to inquire about each other, Xu Yuan took out a whole demon beast.
A seven or eight hundred jin demon beast, after removing the internal organs and bones, only had four or five hundred jin of edible parts.
That wasn't enough for the five hundred or so hungry cultivators who could eat more than the average person.
So, upon seeing there was still one more demon beast to eat, after a brief moment of shock, everyone cheered with shining eyes.
After processing the second demon beast and placing it on the fire, the first one was almost cooked.
Smelling the tempting aroma, although everyone was already drooling, they didn't start eating, their eyes fixed on Xu Yuan.
"Alright, everyone, let's eat,"
Xu Yuan said with a light laugh.
"Yes!"
everyone responded in unison, but still didn't move.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan took the lead and cut off the tenderest piece of Matsusaka meat, taking a bite.
It was tender, smooth, crisp, and juicy.
After he started eating, the others finally let loose and began to wolf down their food.
Some even ate until tears streamed down their faces.
After they finished eating,
Xu Yuan put away the magic array and left with Yun Mochen.
The remaining people stayed behind to clean up the mess.
Seeing that Xu Yuan and Yun Mochen had already gone far away, Mo Huaishan, the only one among them who was at the late stage of Qi Refining, suddenly said:
"Brothers, although General Xu just refused our offer to die for him, we cannot be ungrateful. From today onwards, I, Mo Huaishan, am willing to follow General Xu to the death! Is there anyone willing to join me?"
He, a late stage Qi Refining cultivator, was able to fight until his spiritual energy was exhausted, which showed how hard he worked on the battlefield. He already had considerable prestige in the army.
Coupled with the fact that many others held Xu Yuan in no less reverence and gratitude than he did, they immediately pledged their allegiance.
"We swear to follow General Xu to the death!"
"We swear to follow General Xu to the death!
" "We swear to follow General Xu to the death!"
...
After parting ways with Yun Mochen, Xu Yuan didn't go home. After some thought, he went directly to the Ji residence. Although
he had previously considered exchanging for mid-grade and even high-grade spirit stones,
he hadn't taken it too seriously. After all
, his need for mid-
grade spirit stones wasn't as urgent as for Foundation Establishment Pills. He already had enough spirit stones for his cultivation.
In fact, he wouldn't need to worry about spirit stones until he formed his core.
The return rate of low-grade spirit stones far exceeded the consumption rate.
Therefore, he hadn't paid much attention to whether mid-grade spirit stones could be returned.
But now, he had to care.
Otherwise, he feared he wouldn't be able to distribute spirit stones for long.
"By the way, if I had Jiang Xuansu and the others transfer the spirit stones, would that be acceptable?"
If so, not only would he not have to worry about running out of spirit stones,
but he could also farm them much faster.
Sending out one million would yield over ten million in return!
Ji Family Mansion.
Luo Bingli sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating with her eyes closed.
Her previously expressionless face suddenly showed a barely perceptible furrow in her delicate brows.
Opening her eyes, a thoughtful expression appeared in her clear, lake-like pupils.
She searched the Ji residence with her divine sense but couldn't find Ji Linxiao, a slight regret rising in her heart.
But she quickly suppressed it, regaining her composure.
Her divine sense followed Xu Yuan to Ji Linyuan's room.
Seeing Ji Linyuan lean against Xu Yuan and offer him a kiss, her pupils instantly contracted. Her
previously calm heart was now in turmoil.
Sensing the prying gaze, Xu Yuan's doubts resurfaced.
This True Lord… why does he always like to peek at things unsuitable for children?
Although, of course, this was partly due to his own frequent inappropriate behavior.
But normally, if you see something you shouldn't see, shouldn't you refrain from looking and withdraw your divine sense?
Unable to understand Luo Bingli's thinking, Xu Yuan was momentarily unsure whether to continue or stop.
According to Ji Linyuan and Ji Linxiao, Luo Bingli was probably closer to Ji Linxiao.
She knew and had personally witnessed his relationship with Ji Linxiao.
Now that he was with Ji Linyuan… wouldn't that upset her?
But if she really enjoyed watching… stopping now would also upset her.
However, regardless of the situation, he certainly couldn't show any abnormality in discovering her secret.
Otherwise, she might kill him to silence him.
So, with Ji Linyuan's emotional state, Xu Yuan went along with it and began cultivating with her.
Since Luo Bingli had already discovered his relationship with Ji Linyuan, he couldn't be caught in the middle.
Wouldn't that definitely upset her?
When it was over,
noticing the disappearance of the feeling of being spied on, Xu Yuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Linyuan nestled in his arms, her breathing slightly unsteady. "You're so... different from usual today?"
"It's been so long since we've been intimate, I missed you!"
Xu Yuan lowered his head and kissed her forehead, asking, "Is True Monarch Zhishui still at your residence?"
"Yes, are you looking for her?"
"Yes, does she have any attribute spirit stones or mid-grade/high-grade spirit stones?"
"Well, I'm not sure."
After cuddling with Xu Yuan for a while longer, Ji Linyuan straightened her slightly aching body, exhaled her spiritual energy to cleanse herself, put on her clothes, and regained her aloof and snow-like appearance.
She led Xu Yuan to Luo Bingli's room.
Knock,
knock, knock!
"Come in."
The two pushed open the door and entered.
"Greetings, True Monarch Zhishui."
While bowing, Xu Yuan secretly observed this True Monarch who seemed to know him inside and out, but found nothing unusual on her face.
Her favorability rating hadn't dropped because of his earlier actions.
At least it showed that his gamble hadn't been wrong.
After all, the man already knew he had many women, so one more wouldn't matter.
Having finished his greetings, Xu Yuan directly stated his purpose:
"Does True Lord possess any attribute spirit stones or spirit stones of low grade or higher? I'm willing to pay double the price!"
"What kind of attribute spirit stones do you want?"
Seeing that Luo Bingli didn't directly refuse, Xu Yuan thought to himself, "Just as I expected.
" If we were to say who in Guanlan City is most likely to have attribute spirit stones and spirit stones of low grade or higher, Luo Bingli and Xuan Lie would be the most likely. "I want all of them
."
"I only have ice, water, and wood attribute spirit stones and mid-grade spirit stones here. How many do you want?"
"I'll take as many as a True Lord is willing to pay."
Actually, Xu Yuan only needed one of each type of spirit stone. However, for a True Lord like him, a transaction of only a dozen spirit stones at a time was really inappropriate. What if she was too lazy to do it? It would be a waste of his time. In the end, Luo Bingli sold him a few water and wood spirit stones, and dozens of ice attribute and mid-grade spirit stones. In total, it was less than a thousand spirit stones. With the spirit stones in hand, Xu Yuan didn't linger. Back home, Xu Yuan first retrieved the mid-grade spirit stones he had given to Jiang Xuansu. Jiang Xuansu didn't ask any questions and simply gave them back to him. Then Xu Yuan began to collect the three types of attribute spirit stones he had acquired, distributing them to those cultivating the corresponding attribute techniques. The next day, at the garrison, Li Wu came again, ordering those whose spiritual energy was depleted to step forward and follow him. However, no one stepped forward. After a thorough check, not a single person with depleted spiritual energy was found. He assumed that those with only a sliver of spiritual energy remaining were those for whom Xu Yuan had lent spirit stones to prevent them from being transferred, or that everyone had pooled their resources for those who had exhausted their spiritual energy. He felt a greater sense of admiration for Xu Yuan and didn't mention transferring anyone again. The people who had been sent earlier were not taken away. They were allowed to train with the Yun Yuan combat unit ahead of schedule. One of them, passing by Xu Yuan, even greeted him. "General Xu," he said, his voice very distinctive. It was Chu Yun, the auctioneer from the auction house whose four dimensions were all around 90 points and whose total score wasn't far from 90. Xu Yuan had actually noticed her yesterday, but he hadn't had time to deal with her. Now, he didn't mind chatting with her. "Why is Miss Chu here too?" "All Qi Refining cultivators are currently in the conscription range. Except for the manager, everyone else in our auction house has enlisted." Chu Yun's elegant face didn't quite match her armor. Her attitude wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but she wasn't deliberately keeping her distance like before. In fact, among all the women in Guanlan City, only Yun Mochen could rival Xu Yuan's popularity. Being handsome was his least remarkable advantage. In terms of strength, he had killed three Foundation Establishment cultivators, which gave people a sense of security. In terms of character, not only did he guard Guanlan City, but he also had porridge distributed for over a month, saving countless lives. His only flaw: he was too much of a womanizer! In comparison, Yun Mochen was not only a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator, but also remained single. He was the darling of countless girls. However, Yun Mochen was single-mindedly devoted to the Dao, regarding beauty as mere cosmetics. Faced with countless women throwing themselves at him, he remained as virtuous as Liu Xiahui, unmoved by temptation, his Daoist heart steadfast. If Chu Yun had to choose between the two, she would choose Yun Mochen without hesitation. But she knew her place; in front of such outstanding talents, how could she possibly be picky? It was already a miracle that Young Master Xu even looked at her. Before, in her eyes, Xu Yuan was merely a handsome, wealthy young master with some spirit stones. Even if she didn't dislike him, she certainly didn't like him. But now, a man who could protect his country, fight on the front lines, kill three Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even reportedly sold the gifts bestowed upon him by the city lord to distribute to his subordinates, and had porridge distributed for a month… even she couldn't help but feel genuine admiration and even… attraction! However, after seeing Xu Yuan's women, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself. She even felt a pang of regret for not agreeing to Xu Yuan's request. Xu Yuan had been a little worried that Si Yufei would also be forcibly conscripted and assigned to another place. Hearing her say this, he felt much more at ease. Si Yufei was now the manager of Wanbaoge in Guanlan City. She had also lent spirit stones to the city lord, so it seemed that being exempted from military service wouldn't be a problem. After chatting briefly with Chu Yun, Xu Yuan went to attend to other matters. He glanced at the Yunyuan War Department. Cultivators made up about 70% of the troops, and martial artists about 30%. If he had to replenish everyone's spiritual energy himself, and couldn't rely on women like Jiang Xuansu to transfer it, it would be manageable in the short term. But in the long run, he wouldn't be able to sustain it. He might even be unable to sustain himself just by replenishing the spiritual energy consumed by cultivators. Therefore, he couldn't promise to replenish everyone's spiritual energy all at once. Even if he had enough spirit stones, he couldn't do that. After all, someone like Yu Gonglan, whose favorability towards him was negative, had already infiltrated the war department. So after looking carefully, Xu Yuan chose the one who had the highest level of affection for him, apart from Jiang Xuansu and the other women.
"Red Pepper, come with me for a moment."
The girl called by name was a vibrant, short-haired woman who looked to be around twenty years old.
Hearing Xu Yuan's words, her bright amber eyes shone with undisguised excitement.
"Yes! Yes!"
She ran towards Xu Yuan with her hands raised. "General, what do you need me for?"
She blinked her big eyes, which sparkled with anticipation.
Xu Yuan checked her profile again.
[Name: Red Pepper]
[Age: 21]
[Talent: Four Spiritual Roots]
[Favorability: 93]
[Appearance: 85]
[Figure: 84 ]
[Charm: 85]
[Holiness: 100]
[Total Score: 87.8]
He hadn't done anything to her, yet her favorability was already over 90...
This must be what you call a fanatical fan, right?
Xu Yuan then called Jiang Xuansu and led the two women to a secluded corner.
He transferred 10,000 spirit stones to Jiang Xuansu first.
"Successfully gifted 10,000 low-grade spirit stones. The current number of women is 18. You can choose to receive 180,000 low-grade spirit stones or 18,000 mid-grade spirit stones." He
then said to Red Pepper, "I can replenish your spiritual power with spirit stones, but there's one condition..."
Before he could finish, Red Pepper excitedly exclaimed, "Is it finally my turn? I'm willing!"
"I haven't even said what you're willing to do!"
"For the General, I'm willing to do anything!"
Seeing her fiery yet slightly shy expression, Xu Yuan took out a contract.
"In that case, sign this."
Red Pepper reached out and took it, glanced at the contents of the contract, and was instantly dumbfounded.
"Just keep it a secret?"
She thought the General was finally going to favor her!
Xu Yuan nodded firmly: "Just keep it a secret."
Red Pepper was somewhat unwilling: "The General is so good to me, I can ask for more, even excessive requests are fine."
She blinked her big eyes at Xu Yuan, hinting.
Xu Yuan, however, seemed to be channeling Yun Mochen, his Dao heart resolute as he said, "No need, you just need to keep it a secret."
Seeing this, Hongjiao could only sign her name on the contract in disappointment.
After taking back the contract, Xu Yuan didn't give her spirit stones directly, but instead gave Jiang Xuansu a look.
As Jiang Xuansu stepped forward to give Hongjiao the spirit stones, Xu Yuan's attention was entirely focused on the panel.
Chapter 76 The Value of the Title "Master"
Remember the first website domain name 𝕥𝕨𝕜𝕒𝕟.𝕔𝕠𝕞
A guess arose in Lynn's mind, and he hurriedly went back to retrieve the Source Energy Bow and Source Energy Shield.
Although this seemed unreasonable, after all, in theory, the Source Energy released by one Source Stone is limited.
Why could he fire an arrow with just one Source Stone in his hands?
And this glowing skeleton, without Source Stones, or rather, with only the ten Source Stones consumed by summoning, could fire an unlimited number of times?
But what he had seen before, the Skeleton Archer, almost identical to the little skeleton, could do just that.
Of course, everything had to be verified through practice.
Under Lynn's will control, a glowing little skeleton, with two bony, white legs—bones—came in front of him.
And the moment the Source Energy Bow was in his hand, the originally dark bow instantly emitted a bright blue glow!
Sure enough!
In Lynn's eyes, the Source Energy patterns on the Source Energy Bow were reflected.
Immediately, the will was given, and the little skeleton instantly aimed the energy bow at the distance.
A wisp of string appeared on the bow, and a beam of light condensed.
With a whoosh, it shot far away.
Because it was a normal night, the skeleton density was low, so only a few skeletons were blown away.
But on a blood-red night,
when the skeleton horde was denser, one arrow could wipe out a large group! Although, judging by sight, the condensed light arrow wasn't as powerful as using source stones as ammunition,
its cost-effectiveness was terrifying.
After the little skeleton fired more than ten arrows, the light emanating from the energy bow and the little skeleton showed no signs of diminishing.
This proved that, just as he had guessed,
the energy weapon and the glowing little skeleton were a perfect match!
If he could get a large number of energy bows, whether he set up a platform as a fixed archer unit or used them for mobile firing, it would be a terrifying fighting force!
"Could it be like the difference between hydroelectric power and hydrogen power?"
Relying on his memories of his past life, Lynn made a mental analogy.
But for now, it was just an unverifiable hypothesis.
Source energy—Source magic—
how wondrous!
Lynn suddenly thought of the Source magic mages from the Atreides city-state when he went to the so-called Source Magic Palace.
I think their name was something like Koser.
The agreed meeting time was less than ten days away—
"By the way, that Source Energy Shield, I wonder if these little skeletons can use it."
Using the Source Energy Shield was more dangerous, but its monster-clearing ability was also more outstanding.
If these little skeletons could use it, then he wouldn't have to worry about losing any troops.
After all—these little skeletons were just "good brothers" worth 10 Source Stones.
As expected, the Source Energy Shield was activated in the little skeleton's hands.
But as he watched with expectant eyes, the little skeleton holding the Source Energy Shield, wobbling towards the skeleton horde, at the moment of contact...
there was a loud boom!
The shield flew into the sky, along with a large pile of skeletons, and—the bones of the little skeleton.
"Was it that the little skeleton couldn't withstand the shield's recoil?"
Seeing this, Lynn suddenly remembered what Charlotte's personal maid had said about the shield's origin.
He guessed that the shield had most likely been brought up from beneath the sand by the glowing little skeleton.
It too couldn't withstand the impact, the skeleton shattered, the shield was sent flying, and then, by chance, it was discovered by the great astrologer. He
wondered if there were more of these lost source energy weapons—
watching the shield fall, Lynn didn't have time to think further. He worried that the shield might still be effective on these ordinary, non-glowing skeletons on these nights.
He quickly manipulated the Sand Spirit Tower to clear the scattered skeletons where the shield had fallen.
Then he manipulated the other little skeletons to retrieve the source energy shield.
"It seems it needs someone powerful enough to use it, or perhaps the orc skeleton unlocked at the level two altar?
"
The orc skeleton in the encyclopedia looks incredibly robust; it should be able to withstand such an impact without much damage.
But the level two altar requires three Source Energy Obelisks.
If he were to use the Source Energy Obelisk he was using as the Sand Spirit Mechanism Tower to transform it into a skeleton altar, it would be an irreversible operation.
Just to satisfy curiosity is far too "luxurious."
The remaining five small skeletons returned to the altar and were led into the quicksand beside it.
Lynn dismantled the altar, then stretched, took the Source Stone used for lighting, and went back to his house
. The day ended, and he had gained a lot.
The thought of being able to hold Milia's small, soft body while sleeping later gave him a sense of happiness—
"Master—"
A voice called out in his ear, but the address sounded unfamiliar.
Lynn opened his eyes and saw Agatha?
Agatha was actually calling him master—
was this the effect of his trickery yesterday?
Was it really that obvious?
Lynn was overjoyed when he heard Agatha's next words.
"Master, we have collected all the skeletons from last night."
"Now?"
He glanced outside; the light was fading, and the stars seemed about to fall.
The skeletons had probably just returned to the sands, and by now they had already cleaned up the remains.
Even more diligent than Lai Cai!
Lynn was still somewhat incredulous and couldn't help but get up and go outside.
He saw Marina still preparing sandworm meat, clearly not having had time to distribute breakfast to the female prisoners of war.
Milia was beside her, her eyes still blurry, helping out, looking like she hadn't woken up yet, rubbing her eyes every now and then.
Marina, seemingly worried about being scolded, clearly noticed Lynn's arrival and quickened her pace.
And not far from the house, there were several small hills of bones!
"306 skeletons, Master."
Lynn turned back in astonishment, seeing that all the female prisoners of war had gathered around.
But unlike before, they all bowed their heads slightly, looking quite respectful.
Except for—alena, standing a little over two meters away, her eyes bloodshot, as if she hadn't slept all night.
Her face was filled with anger.
However, now, Alena was all alone.
This was naturally no longer a concern.
"Very good, Agatha, and, uh, A—Tana, Abaza, A—"
To show his satisfaction, Lynn read out the rather difficult-to-pronounce names of every female prisoner of war slave.
Of course, this was all based on the illustrations in the "Slave Owner's Handbook."
And these female prisoners of war slaves, panting heavily from exhaustion, were all stunned.
They couldn't help but look up at Lynn, this benevolent slave owner blessed by the gods.
This slave owner actually remembered everyone's name! After
Lynn finished reading everyone's names, he looked at everyone's current appearance, just as he had expected.
For a moment, Lynn suddenly remembered when he first started working.
Back then, being remembered by his superiors would make him secretly excited for a long time—
now that he thought about it, it was really a bit naive.
As expected, these female prisoners of war were just as naive.
"Master, what are the remaining tasks?"
"After we complete the remaining six tasks, we can still go back, right?"
Suddenly, a particularly discordant voice rang out.
It was none other than Alena, who had been silent all along.
"Indeed, this is the fourth task—"
"As promised, after ten tasks, they would be allowed to go home."
"But—does that still matter?"
Lynn glanced at all the female prisoners of war behind Agatha.
Some of them naturally showed worry on their faces.
And many more looked at Alena with a hint of anger in their eyes.
"Of course, after completing the ten tasks, you can go and be free as ownerless slaves."
"I think as long as you don't take off your clothes, no one will be able to find the slave marks on your bodies."
Lynn said matter-of-factly, but the female prisoners of war couldn't help but speak up immediately.
"Master, we'd rather stay here than go back."
"We want to serve you, Master."
Clearly, hearing Lynn's promise to "keep his word," everyone finally snapped.
Unexpectedly, Alena's words, instead of causing trouble, actually catalyzed the situation.
The female prisoners of war, who had never heard this "Master" before, now addressed it as if it were commonplace.
And the weight of that "Master" was evident in the piles of bones.
"You not only betrayed Achilla, but you also willingly became slaves!"
"You're like those pleasure slaves in those dark sand houses! No, you're even worse than those pleasure slaves!"
Alena's fierce voice rang out again, causing everyone to turn and look at her angrily.
For women who had never experienced lovemaking before entering the battlefield, this was the greatest humiliation.
"We've been branded as slaves, Alena."
"Only with Lord Lynn can we remain free."
A rebuttal rang out, and Alena, tormented by her inner resistance to the brand, was now in agony.
This reminded Lynn of when he bought her from the royal slave trader, Rad.
Alena was like this then, but the others were completely different.
This irritated Lynn.
"Enough, Alena."
A voice rang out, and the female prisoners of war's rebukes abruptly ceased.
"You can leave. You don't need to complete the remaining six tasks."
1
"Leave—"
Alena, who had been tormented by the brand, immediately feigned astonishment.
"Lord slave owner, you really allow me to leave?"
"Of course."
She still looked incredulous. After a brief moment of stunned silence, Alena glanced at the other female prisoners of war with hatred.
"I'll go find Achilla and tell her you willingly became slaves."
She turned and left without another glance, not even offering Lynn a word of thanks.
"Master, we will be loyal to you. Can you retract your previous promise?"
One of the prisoners of war was still worried about Lynn's promise, which Alena had mentioned earlier.
She asked directly.
"Yes, but one promise remains unchanged: you are my slaves, but as long as you are on my oasis, you will remain free."
She repeated this characteristic method of slave redemption.
The female prisoners of war were stunned at first, then they all knelt down, clutching their left breastplates.
"I pledge my allegiance to you, my master.
"
Lynn looked at the female prisoners of war with satisfaction.
But when he turned back to look at Alena, who was walking away, it was impossible not to feel regret.
After all, Alena's score for "Arrogant Female Tennis Fighter" was far ahead, much higher than the average score of the other female prisoners of war.
This score was nothing to Lynn; the key was the combat power represented by the high score of "Arrogant Female Tennis Fighter."
She was indeed a talent, what a pity—
thinking of the score, Lynn realized that he had been too busy.
After drawing the title of "Skull Slave Master," he hadn't even had time to check the score required for the next settlement reward.
He just arranged for the female prisoners of war to cultivate the fertile land again before heading into the house—
many of the female prisoners of war were still attached to Lynn's "promise," which made them somewhat resentful.
It was because of this remembrance that the story of "Lynn's Ten Promises" was added to the legend of the future, the great and righteous Emperor Lynn.
Like "Sorry, Slave, Return Home," it was known to everyone.
The heat made Alena unbearably thirsty.
Coupled with her exhaustion, she felt all her strength drain away.
"Home—"
"Achilla—"
Faintly, she seemed to see a well in the heart of a continent, churning in the heat.
Suddenly, the sound of hooves grew closer.
—Alena
turned her gaze in confusion, the illusion vanishing instantly.
Camels don't make hoofbeats, unless they are desert horses.
And only slave hunters of the desert can ride desert horses!
When her hazy consciousness finally grasped this, Alena's eyes widened.
Only then did she see two figures before her, one in front of the other.
The man in the lead, tanned dark by the sun, revealed a wicked smile and pale teeth, already raising his long whip
[Welcome to the post-apocalyptic highway survival world]
[If you want to survive, please proceed along the road beneath your feet]
[The gray fog is slowly advancing behind you, chasing after you; it can devour all living beings.]
[Players in different factions will awaken various sequences in the initial stage. To improve your sequence, please proceed along the path.]
[But please remember]
[Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop!!!]
[Don't look back!]
[On this road, there is no choice but to turn back]
The cold, mechanical voice echoed in Ye Yan's mind.
Post-apocalyptic highway survival?
Gray fog?
Factions, sequences?
"I've transmigrated?"
Ye Yan, who was well-versed in various novels, immediately accepted his current situation. He stood up from the ground and
looked around. Besides the endless road beneath his feet, there was only an endless desert, and a beautiful girl lying on the road.
Wait.
A beautiful girl?
"Is she another transmigrator?"
Ye Yan looked down and was stunned.
It was a beautiful girl.
He wasn't stunned by her beauty.
He recognized her.
Yue Rumo.
The school's recognized aloof school beauty.
A freshman in the finance department, she became an internet sensation on campus in her first week after a profile picture went viral, earning her the title of "most beautiful freshman in the last decade."
Suitors lined up from the teaching building to the school gate.
But she never looked at anyone, not even sparing a glance. She
had never had a scandal, let alone interacted with any men, making her a true "older flower."
An ordinary student like Ye Yan might not even have the chance to speak a word to her in four years.
But now,
she lay at his feet. Her black hair cascaded
like a waterfall, her skin as white as snow.
Her body, lying down, was curvaceous.
Slender where it should be, shapely where it should be.
Her long, smooth legs beneath her skirt were captivating.
But at this moment, he felt no interest.
Having been transported to this strange world in the blink of an eye, he had no time to appreciate beautiful women.
Fortunately, the voice seemed to say that a sequence would awaken.
So what sequence would he awaken?
[Congratulations on being assigned to the Raider faction, becoming Raider No. 000.] Ye
Yan slowly typed: "?"
"This is a sequence?"
He opened the panel, and a blue screen appeared before his eyes.
[
Name: Ye Yan.
Serial Number: 22222222
Nickname: Temporarily Named.
Faction: Raider 000
Stamina: 10
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Sequence: None.
Contract Partner: None.
]
"Why is there no sequence?"
"And this faction?"
Ye Yan hesitated, then clicked to look, and a chill ran down his spine.
[As long as you kill a transcendent life form, you can plunder their sequence, attributes, and even power.]
Was this encouraging him to kill other players and plunder their sequences?
He was afraid that if he made a move, he would be killed by other players' sequences.
He didn't think that without a sequence, he would be a match for those awakened sequences.
More importantly,
if other players discovered this, his situation would probably be dire. They might
even gang up on him.
[Please prepare to depart immediately; the gray fog is beginning to spread.]
As the system notification disappeared, Ye Yan felt a chill behind him.
He turned around.
Far off, on the horizon, a gray line was slowly advancing.
The gray was deeper than the sky, like a thick fog, or something alive, spreading towards them.
Gray fog.
It was chasing them.
Ye Yan withdrew his gaze and looked down at Yue Rumo.
"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?" he asked.
Yue Rumo's eyelashes trembled violently, but she didn't open her eyes.
Ye Yan squatted down.
He reached out, took Yue Rumo's hands, and lifted them up, posing her like a zombie.
"A sleeping person," he said, "has a stiff body; no matter what pose they're in, it won't change."
"Let me test if it's true," Ye Yan chuckled, releasing his hands.
Yue Rumo's hands indeed didn't fall.
She lifted one of her delicate white feet, still not putting it down, just sticking it out.
Ye Yan chuckled.
"So you really are asleep."
He stood up, raised his foot, and pretended to step over her.
But he stopped halfway.
He looked down.
"Ah, it's white."
The words had barely left his lips when Yue Rumo abruptly opened her eyes.
"Ah!! What are you looking at?!"
She shoved Ye Yan aside, jumped up from the ground, and clutched her skirt tightly, her face flushed red.
Ye Yan was pushed back a step, but his expression remained unchanged.
He looked at her.
Yue Rumo glared at him, her chest heaving violently.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
She suddenly realized something, turned her face away, and stopped looking at him.
"You…when did you realize I was pretending to be asleep?" she asked, her voice muffled.
"From the beginning."
"From the beginning?!"
"Your eyelashes were trembling too much," Ye Yan said, "a lot of it looked unnatural."
"Also, a sleeping person wouldn't have their body stiff and arms outstretched!"
"You, you lied to me?!"
Yue Rumo bit her lip, her face filled with shame and indignation.
She really was pretending to be asleep.
Suddenly transported to this godforsaken place, with only a barely acquainted boy beside her, how could she dare to wake up directly?
What if the other person had bad intentions?
Pretending to be asleep and observing what he would do was the most basic self-preservation. And
what happened?
This guy directly took her hand and posed it, and even peeked under her skirt!
She glared at Ye Yan fiercely.
"So, why did you pretend to be asleep?" Ye
asked curiously. "A test," she said, her tone slightly arrogant.
"What kind of test?"
"Well, to see what kind of person you are."
Yue Rumo looked away.
"Suddenly transmigrating and being with a man, of course I have to be careful. What if you're a bad person?"
Ye Yan looked at her, somewhat speechless.
"So I passed the test?"
He hadn't expected that the school's aloof and powerful beauty would actually be an 'idiot'?
"Hmph,"
Yue Rumo snorted.
"So-so."
She paused, then added,
"Although peeking under my skirt was terrible, at least, at least you didn't do anything worse while I was pretending to be asleep."
For a moment, the two were silent.
But this silence was quickly broken.
[Your vehicle is still being issued]
[Vehicle?] Ye
Yan hesitated, not sensing a vehicle, and silently looked at the school beauty.
"Where's the vehicle?"
"How should I know!"
Hearing Ye Yan's words, Yue Rumo blushed furiously, as if her hair had been turned upside down.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Why is your reaction so strange?" Ye Yan moved closer, a smirk playing on his lips.
"You must know something."
This school beauty, Yue Rumo, was good in every way—beautiful, with a great figure—except for her temper.
Tsk tsk tsk.
No good.
She wasn't suitable as a teammate, and her outstanding appearance would only cause unnecessary trouble.
If they encountered a threat and she was useless, Ye Yan would abandon her without hesitation.
The reason he was arguing was because she clearly knew about the vehicle.
Without a vehicle, they couldn't avoid being caught by the black fog on this long highway.
"What...what are you thinking?"
Noticing the scrutinizing gaze, Yue Rumo crossed her arms, her body trembling, yet she stubbornly raised her head to conceal her panic. Only the tears hanging from the corners of
her
eyes betrayed her.
Even the strongest girl would inevitably panic in such a situation.
Especially when the girl opposite her hadn't even left school.
But for this girl, Ye Yan showed no pity, remaining as calm as still water.
"If you don't want to talk, that's fine too."
Ye Yan slowly stood up, smoothing his dusty trousers, too lazy to waste words with her; time was of the essence.
"Let's go."
"Ah..."
Yue Rumo hesitated, thinking this man would try to coerce or entice her, or even do something malicious to her.
Like this or that.
She was quite confident in her appearance.
"Wait for me!"
Just as she thought this, she saw that Ye Yan had already walked away.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Why?"
Ye Yan gave Yue Rumo a kind smile and pointed behind her.
"If you don't want to be swallowed by the gray fog, you can walk slowly."
"What?"
Yue Rumo turned around and saw the sky-covering gray fog rushing towards them from behind, with sharp screams coming from within it from time to time.
"Save me, save me!"
"Don't kill me!"
...
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
A series of screams came from within the gray fog, accompanied by shrill cries.
This terrified Yue Rumo. She turned around and ran away quickly, but she accidentally fell to the ground.
Her knee was scraped and bleeding profusely.
"Ouch, it hurts so much."
The sharp pain in her knee made Yue Rumo, who had suddenly transmigrated to this strange world, unable to hold back her tears, which had been hanging in her eyes.
"Help, help me!"
The screams echoing from within the gray fog, along with the eerie shadows that appeared and disappeared, shattered Yue Rumo's already fragile mental state.
Instinctively, she abandoned her pride and pleaded for help from a classmate she usually considered unremarkable.
However, facing Ye Yan, the unapproachable school beauty, who was the most beautiful girl in the school, and even the most unattainable person in the class,
Ye Yan stopped and turned around. His face was expressionless, and his words shocked Yue Rumo.
"Why?"
"You, what did you say?" Yue Rumo couldn't believe it. She
couldn't believe Ye Yan would leave her to die.
Before, if she had just waved her hand, people willing to do things for her would have lined up, if not outside the city, but right at the school gate.
Now, however, she was being rejected.
Rejected without hesitation.
"Is it so hard to understand? You're just a burden."
Ye Yan waved his hand, his expression calm, but his words sounded so cruel to Yue Rumo.
"If I carry you, it will slow me down. Once I slow down, I'll be swallowed by the gray fog behind me."
"Then we'll both die."
"As the top beauty in the grade, you can't be so clueless about this, can you?"
"But, but..." Yue Rumo clenched her fists.
She knew Ye Yan's words made sense.
But...
"But what?" Ye Yan's expression suddenly turned serious, his tone becoming more forceful:
"Yue Rumo, this isn't a school, nor is it the world you know."
"No teachers will help you, and your wealthy father can't use his money."
"Everyone who comes here starts from scratch, forced to begin anew."
Ye Yan paused, his words carrying a deeper meaning:
"There are no laws, no morals here. To survive, you can only rely on yourself."
Ye Yan knew.
Yue Rumo was definitely hiding something.
Just as he was hiding his allegiance, she was also concealing something.
For example, vehicles!
The notification mentioned vehicles had been issued, but all around was a desolate desert.
Where were the vehicles?
Connecting this to Yue Rumo's strange behavior upon hearing about vehicles,
Ye Yan was certain she knew something!
"So, to get help from others, you at least need to have some value, right?"
Ye Yan's lips curled into a smile as he looked at Yue Rumo.
"Don't you think so, Yue Rumo?
" "Huh?"
Yue Rumo stared in shock at the increasingly excited Ye Yan.
She couldn't understand why this once unremarkable, ordinary classmate was so calm.
No, perhaps that's just how he is.
And this world is as he says.
But...
She clenched her fists, her face flushed, and from her proud lips uttered words of humiliation.
"Ride me!"
"Huh?"
Ye Yan thought, had this school beauty lost her mind?
Or did she have no brain at all?
Ye Yan subconsciously glanced at the majestic peaks and made a judgment.
After all, big breasts mean no brains.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have said such a thing at this time.
However, what happened next overturned his understanding, even more shocking than when he transmigrated to this strange world.
The originally beautiful and voluptuous school beauty's body began to change.
With a flash of white light, Yue Rumo turned into a bicycle?
A pink one at that!
Only it was covered in rust.
Ye Yan's lips curled up, and he immediately understood why Yue Rumo had acted so strangely when she heard about vehicles.
"So you are the vehicle!"
"Why do you talk so much nonsense?" A phantom of Yue Rumo suddenly floated next to the bicycle, her face full of shame and indignation.
"Get on the bike quickly, the gray fog is catching up soon."
"Oh."
Ye Yan glanced at the gray fog that was not far away, calculated that there was still time.
So, he decided to train—no, to temper—Yue Rumo's arrogant personality.
This would elevate her status, no, make the cooperation more pleasant.
That's right, since she wasn't just a pretty face with no redeeming qualities, Ye Yan naturally wouldn't abandon her.
A vehicle!
Since the machine voice had emphasized its importance,
Ye Yan wouldn't easily let go of the school beauty, Yue Rumo, who could become a vehicle.
Moreover, on this endless highway, even a bicycle could greatly increase his chances of survival.
Not to mention, this bike.
He could ride it in the morning and at night.
Who could resist that?
"What do you want me to do?"
"Say it again," Ye Yan deliberately reminded her.
"That's right, it's the first thing you said, 'Ride what?'"
"What are you going to say?"
Hearing Ye Yan's words, and recalling her earlier slip of the tongue, Yue Rumo's face flushed, the bicycle turned red, and her voice was urgent.
"You, you bastard, you're so vulgar and shameless!"
"That wasn't me who said it, you said it yourself,"
Ye Yan waved his hand. "If you don't want to become a discarded bicycle, you can keep cursing.
" "Hey classmate, you don't want to be swallowed by the gray fog either, do you?"
"You, you..."
Yue Rumo was depressed and angry. Why did she have to be matched with this kind of person?
And when she said those words, she was only saying them because her life was threatened.
It wasn't out of her own will at all.
"The gray fog is coming soon," Ye Yan urged.
"Ride, ride me," Yue Rumo's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum.
"Alright."
Ye Yan smiled and rode onto the bicycle that Yue Rumo had transformed into.
As soon as he got on, he could feel the bicycle vibrating.
At the same time, the mysterious mechanical voice sounded again.
[Contract Formation?]
Ye Yan and Yue Rumo exchanged a glance.
Ye Yan smiled and said happily, "Yes."
Yue Rumo gritted her teeth and said with a humiliated expression, "Yes."
[Congratulations, the contract is complete.]
[After the driver and vehicle sign a contract, they can share attributes and survive together.]
[Those who are not yet awakened can escape by riding in another person's vehicle, or wait for a later awakening opportunity.]
The moment the words were spoken, a blue panel appeared before them.
[
Name: Yue Rumo.
Serial Number: 3333333
Nickname: Not yet named.
Faction: Order
Awakening Vehicle: Bicycle.
Physical Fitness: 10
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Serial Number 10: Infinite Evolution.
Contract Partner: Ye Yan.
"Infinite evolution?"
The two exclaimed in unison, for the growth potential of this sequence was simply too strong.
[Decomposable machinery, reduced to its most primitive materials, enough materials for unlimited evolution of the vehicle.] [ Bicycle
, materials required for the next level: 10* steel, 10* rubber.]
"I'm so amazing!"
Yue Rumo looked at the panel before her, excitedly puffing out her ample chest, looking at Ye Yan with pride. Her expression seemed to say: "Am I amazing? Praise me!" Her smugness was practically written all over her face. Ye Yan, of course, wouldn't indulge her. "Awesome is also a mount." Although he said that, Ye Yan was also very happy about the power of Yue Rumo's sequence. This meant their chances of survival had greatly increased. Most importantly... He might not need to ride a bicycle anymore. "Who are you calling a mount?" Yue Rumo said angrily. "You didn't know before? Talent Sequence." "I didn't know." Yue Rumo shook her head. "It only popped up after the contract. Hey, hey, hey, look behind you." "What?" Ye Yan turned around and was suddenly startled. The gray mist was right in front of him. According to his calculations, it shouldn't be this fast. The gray mist was accelerating! After realizing this, Ye Yan didn't hesitate. He mounted Yue Rumo, gripped the handlebars, and put his feet on the pedals. Then he pushed hard— "Ah!" Yue Rumo couldn't help but cry out. It wasn't pain. It was the feeling, the feeling of someone "riding" her. She had never experienced this feeling before. No, in fact, because of her wealthy family background, she hadn't had much contact with boys since childhood. Her parents were very strict with her upbringing and didn't allow other boys to appear around her. After all, as the heiress of the group and the future heir, she was the focus of everyone's attention. She was the princess that her parents and brothers doted on. She had to have good qualities. This made her almost completely immune to contact with boys, so she had no idea that being a "rider" could offer this kind of experience. The pedals were turning, the chain was rolling, the tires were grinding on the ground. These were all her body parts, yet she wasn't in control. She could only feel those parts being used, being driven, like someone holding her hand and making her write, and she couldn't refuse. This experience made her very uncomfortable. She could only feel her legs tense and her body trembling. However, this discomfort gradually disappeared. It even gave her a different feeling. Ye Yan stopped, looking strangely at the illusory figure beside her, Yue Rumo, who was covering her mouth. "What's wrong with you?" Yue Rumo's face was completely red. Even a bicycle blushed. What was wrong with her? Ye Yan had never been a bicycle, but she had been glared at like that before. Naturally, she didn't know how Yue Rumo felt. So, she subconsciously glared even harder. "I...I'm fine," she said, her voice almost inaudible. "You can continue." Ye Yan was silent for a second. Then he pedaled again, and it was quite strenuous. Especially with the gray fog chasing behind him and Yue Rumo's panicked voice in his ear. "Pedal faster!" Yue Rumo urged. "I'm already trying my best!" Ye Yan gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his face, his back soaked with sweat. "Stand up and glare!" Seeing the gray fog approaching, Yue Rumo lost her usual composure. "I've never seen such a request before!" In a fit of anger, Ye Yan stood up and glared furiously! "Ah!" Yue Rumo suddenly covered her mouth, her face flushed, regretting that she had said such a thing. Ye Yan complained, "Why not a car? A motorcycle would be fine too!" "What are you talking about? It's not like I did it willingly." Yue Rumo's voice was weak as she retorted, "What could I do!" "Look, there's a town ahead!" "Huh? In this desert, how could there be one?" Ye Yan looked up, about to speak, but stopped abruptly when he saw the town in the distance. The small town turned out to be a city. However, its appearance was ancient and weathered, as if it had endured countless storms and snows, and its walls were dilapidated, seemingly on the verge of collapse. A notification sounded. [First stop ahead: West Sea Town, please prepare.]
Damn!
This is getting more and more illogical.
Why would a small town suddenly appear?!
However, the fact that they transmigrated here is illogical in itself.
"What do we do?" Yue Rumo asked Ye Yan.
The most important thing now is that they don't even have the most basic food and supplies, and it's impossible to continue along the road. The small town ahead is the only option.
But, this is too coincidental.
"What do we do?" Ye Yan rolled his eyes at Yue Rumo, "Do you think I still have the energy to keep riding?"
"Unlike you, you don't have to do anything, you can just lie down."
"What are you saying!"
Hearing Ye Yan's dirty joke, Yue Rumo couldn't help but feel embarrassed and angry, and the whole bike shook.
"I'm trying very hard, okay? You have no idea how hard I've endured!"
"Endured what?" Ye Yan asked curiously.
"...."
Yue Rumo suddenly stopped talking, and the entire phantom disappeared.
Ye Yan didn't rest either, and finally rushed into the town with his last bit of strength.
[Welcome to the first stop: West Sea Town. You can replenish your supplies here, and the black fog will no longer pursue you]
The notification sound echoed in their minds. The two of them collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
"Huff, huff, huff!"
Yue Rumo patted her chest, looking relieved, still shaken.
Ye Yan, on the other hand, was panting heavily.
He hadn't expected to push himself so hard.
He'd made up for all the exercise he'd missed during his school years.
However, he wasn't too afraid, because the training he'd just done
had improved his foundation.
Even if it was only by 1 point, it was better than nothing.
Ye Yan believed he'd adapt quickly.
"What do we do now?"
Yue Rumo asked, panting.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know, I don't understand anything."
Yue Rumo pouted, looking at the dilapidated town before her.
"I think we should rest for the night and explore again the next day."
"We don't know how long we can stay, let's not take any risks."
After resting for a moment, Ye Yan got up and looked at the run-down convenience store ahead.
"Get up, we need to collect supplies immediately. We don't know how far the next stop is, we need to collect enough supplies, and..."
Ye Yan looked at Yue Rumo, who was lying on the ground, her tempting belly exposed, completely unrefined.
"Find enough materials to upgrade your crappy bicycle. I don't want to pedal it anymore; there's not even room for resources on the back."
"We need to collect enough food, given we don't know how far the next stations are."
"What a crappy bicycle!" Yue Rumo retorted, but didn't say anything more.
She didn't want to be pedaled so roughly anymore, so she weakly nodded.
"Okay!"