Lord of the Myriad Worlds

Chapter 340: The Old Cart Horses

The days that followed settled back into calm. The weather grew steadily warmer. Daytime highs occasionally climbed to twenty degrees Celsius, and though snow still clung to the distant peaks, green shoots were already pushing up through the dead grass on the sun-facing slopes. You could even dig up dandelions and other wild greens if you knew where to look.

Spring had arrived at last, and nothing could stop it.

Li Wei and Thomas led all the Freemen who had bound Farmer Cards in breaking new ground within the fortress walls — including the rookie mercenaries who also held Farmer Cards.

Farming was nothing to be ashamed of. The group was surprisingly lively. After nearly twenty days at Riverside Fortress, they seemed to have decided that life needed purpose and fate needed to be seized. The air was full of laughter. Li Wei found himself almost envious.

In the distance, Javier was carefully trotting a Three-Star Warhorse in small circles. Even with a Four-Star Cavalry Card bound, it wasn't easy — it required enormous, painstaking practice.

After weighing his options, Li Wei had awarded him that Three-Star Warhorse. The man had been acting like he'd just been handed a precious son ever since, doting on the animal obsessively and refusing to let even Seth touch it.

They really needed more horses. Maybe a stable? Knights without mounts weren't really knights.

Weir City had plenty of horses. Could some be purchased?

While he was thinking, his hands never stopped. He was working a hoe through the still-frozen ground. The recent spring flood had soaked the soil inside the fortress, making a spade too difficult to use — the heavy hoe was better suited for this.

Once the ground thawed and dried out a bit, a spade would be more efficient.He and Thomas each had their own plot.

Like two old oxen — once they started, they didn't stop.

Li Wei occasionally glanced around. Thomas just had his head down and worked. You had to call him twice for meals. He could break ground until midnight and sleep only four hours a night.

It was the kind of work ethic that left Li Wei with nothing to say.

The other Freemen and rookie mercenaries were more normal — four hours in the morning, four in the afternoon, then done for the day.

Only the Freemen selected as soldiers showed any real urgency, understanding that grinding Destiny Grids mattered.

In truth, everyone knew this. Li Wei had said it several times. Javier and Seth had repeated it constantly. The rookie mercenaries had been told in detail.

But it was like a parent nagging about reading and vocabulary and problem-solving — it went in one ear and out the other.

Without pain, there was no urgency.

There were exceptions, of course. A few Freemen and rookie mercenaries were genuinely pushing themselves. But limited by their own attributes, stretching from eight hours of daily labor to ten was about their ceiling.

Effort didn't show results in a day. It required years of consistent, mindful work.

Breaking new ground alone didn't yield much Farmer Destiny Grid progress — the whole cultivation cycle had to be completed.

After a sustained push of over ten days, with Li Wei and Thomas doing the lion's share, Riverside Fortress had successfully cleared five hundred mu of farmland.

And for all that effort, Li Wei had only raised his own Farmer Destiny Grid by 1, reaching 23.

Still — if he could manage the planting, tending, and harvesting of two hundred mu through the season, his Farmer Destiny Grid should reach somewhere between 35 and 40 by year's end. A solid gain.

The month ended. March was coming. The Freemen didn't feel much about it. Liang Yuzhi, Zhao Xuanxuan, and Thomas didn't particularly care about the month-end settlement either. But the rookie mercenaries finally had to make a decision.

Stay and take citizenship, or leave.

Based on their labor output this month, each of them would receive a base wage of 10 gold coins — 15 at the absolute most. The Prestige Card system handled the calculation automatically; Li Wei didn't even need to check.

So on the last afternoon of February, the rookie mercenaries clustered in small groups, talking things over with animated but unfocused expressions — like students cramming the night before an exam they hadn't studied for.

Less disciplined than students, actually. High schoolers at least knew how to endure hardship.

Some of them were clearly waiting for Li Wei, as their Lord, to come negotiate with them personally. Li Wei pretended not to notice. He and Thomas kept working. There was plenty to do — the cleared ground still needed leveling, roots and stones needed to be removed, irrigation channels needed to be dug, and small earthen dams needed to be built. He was thoroughly occupied.

There were no shortcuts in farming.

He worked until the sun set and the stars came out before shouldering his hoe and spade and heading back. The smell of dinner drifted through the entire fortress. Time was running out for the mercenaries.

Stay or go?

After dinner, the mercenaries finally realized Li Wei wasn't going to offer them a contract renewal. If they wanted to stay, they had to apply for citizenship.

Some of them left in frustration, muttering that Li Wei was a poor excuse for a Lord and that his territory would amount to nothing, convinced they'd find better lords who would recognize their worth.

They had apparently forgotten every word their parents and teachers had ever told them.

But a portion chose to stay and apply for citizenship. The place seemed decent enough.

In the end: 38 male mercenaries and 12 female mercenaries took citizenship. The rest left.

No matter. Liang Yuzhi had already recruited another hundred academy-trained rookie mercenaries from the Three-Star Tavern in one go. That supply never seemed to run dry.

Actually — it was slightly more competitive this time. When Li Wei checked through the Prestige Card, he noticed that 14 of the newly recruited mercenaries had just left his territory — and had been re-recruited within the minute.

That meant the pool of academy mercenaries was shrinking.

Other competitors were moving.

Naturally. This month, Hathaway, Ron, Socrates, and Zhao Kewu would all be recruiting mercenaries. They had almost certainly figured out that bulk-recruiting academy graduates had advantages.

Supply was tightening.

The price had already gone up. Last month, the same academy mercenaries cost 10 gold coins each. This month, the price had jumped to 18. Aunt Liang had been decisive — she had the funds. With academy mercenaries, you either recruited all hundred or you didn't recruit at all. Ninety-nine was an insult to your own intelligence.

Which was why there was now a small bidding war. Someone among the newly promoted Three-Star Lords had probably failed to secure a full batch this cycle.

Good.

At that moment, a line of text appeared silently: [Due to the special properties of the Three-Star Tavern, you have received a random reward: ten retired cart horses from Weir City's transport guild. They will be delivered when external trade opens this month. Note: they can be enhanced using magical potions or Universal Gold Cards. One Four-Star Universal Gold Card can enhance five horses, upgrading them to One-Star Warhorses.]

That was excellent.

Li Wei smiled. For a newly established territory, this was a very welcome reward.

Once the territory matured and development hit its stride, this kind of bonus would feel trivial. But for now, it was genuinely useful.

He hoped the rookie mercenaries would make the most of the opportunity they'd been given.

Pioneering Missions only came once every ten years. Academy mercenaries graduated every year. Current-year graduates had all kinds of special benefits. Last year's graduates no longer had the right to call themselves academy mercenaries.

That night, Li Wei held the Prestige Card and opened the monthly external trade. The card was linked to the one at the main base — no difference between them.

Gray mist surged. A hot wind blew in, carrying the sharp smell of horse dung. He could hear neighing in the distance. Closer, closer — and when the mist cleared, Li Wei felt as if he had stepped into another dimension, vast and open. Directly ahead stood ten tall horses. Retired cart horses, technically, but still impressive animals.

This time the trade wasn't hosted by the Medical Department. It was something more like a ranch.

Wait — this backdrop looked familiar.

Was this the southwest corner of Kakh City?

Li Wei stared. He trusted his eyes completely. Yes — this was a farmstead roughly twenty to thirty kilometers southwest of Kakh City, one of the few that had continued operating normally under the Mad Baron's rule.

Though back then, there hadn't been many warhorses here.

"Don't just stand there, friend. My name is Mark — I'm a Substantive Baron under the Weir Duke. Kakh City is my domain. I'm sure you're not unfamiliar with it — Kakh City has always been a popular destination for newcomers. Generations of stories have played out there. I've read your file. You're impressive."

A middle-aged man with a straw stem in his mouth walked over from the distance, his tone carrying layers of meaning.

Li Wei was stunned. He hadn't expected to ever meet the real "Mad Baron." This was surreal.

"Ha! Relax. The rookie mission only happens once. You've been through it — there are no more secrets. The Duke has a favorable impression of you. You've done well. Three years, two missions, and you've reached a height that takes most of us ten or twenty years."

"Alright — time is limited. These ten retired cart horses — just cover the transport fee. But remember: the Three-Star Tavern's special benefits only last three cycles. Also — if you happen to have any Barbarian gold coins, I can exchange them here. One-to-one, nine percent handling fee. What do you say?"

"Of course — no problem."

Li Wei agreed without hesitation. No need to overthink it. He reached into his inventory and handed over 50,000 Barbarian gold coins.

"Generous, friend. I'll round it up for you — after transport fees and the handling fee, you should receive 45,000 standard gold coins. Come visit Kakh City anytime."

The man laughed, shook Li Wei's hand, and the gray mist surged back in. The trade was complete.