Lord of the Myriad Worlds

Chapter 57: The Price of a Deal

"Fine, whatever happens, happens."

Li Wei thought for a long time and couldn't come up with a perfect, win-win plan to resolve the problem, so he decided to take the loss himself. No matter what, he figured he would still gain something.

He solemnly said to Thomas:

"Brother, you are someone I trust. I'm glad you've joined our family. I hope you can mine as much stone as possible this month. I plan to reinforce and expand the camp perimeter wall into a stone wall sometime next spring or whenever it's appropriate. Any problem with that?"

"No problem, brother. I'm willing to sweat and spill blood for this family. You are my dearest family in this life!"

Thomas, who a moment ago had been half-smirking, instantly switched into earnest mode. Tears welled in his eyes as he hugged Li Wei again, then enthusiastically hugged Fila, Penny, and Leon.

Then, ignoring the awkward expressions on those three faces, he strode out of the camp to work. He even carried a backpack and had prepared tools for mining.

However, Li Wei's expression wasn't great either. As expected, a black system notification appeared.

[You abruptly and rashly published a monthly main quest that does not match the family's current situation. Your Family Head status has been questioned, your Prestige has been reduced, and you have been punished. Ten contribution points have been forcibly deducted, leaving 210 contribution points remaining.]

[The Professional Warrior*** has been assigned to this month's main quest. He will be responsible for mining and transporting ten units of stone blocks and ten units of limestone back to the camp. After completing the task, he will receive 15 Family Contribution points.][Friendly reminder: due to different weights, one unit of stone block equals 300 jin, one unit of limestone equals 100 jin, and one unit of iron ore equals 100 jin.]

Damn!

——

"Rumble!"

A thick oak crashed to the ground. Li Wei wielded his tempered-steel Lumber Axe and quickly backed off. For him, felling a hard, aged oak had become routine; even splitting it into firewood was something he could do elegantly, calmly, and swiftly.

With sufficient food supplies, he could complete the entire process—from felling to processing—in just over a day.

In other words, the five units of oak required by this month's main quest could be finished by him in at most seven days.

And mining and transporting ten units of iron ore would take at most ten days.

That left the rest of the month free.

But he had no other plans for this month: one goal, to grind for a One-Star Stamina Card.

Before this, his Logging Experience had already accumulated to 450 points. After finishing those five units of oak—felling and processing—he would reach 600 points, enough to forge a one-star logging card.

But his mining experience was only 120 points. He would need to mine and transport thirty-eight units of iron ore to make up the difference.

So the earliest he could get it would be next month.

"I wonder if Margaret has arrived yet, and what kind of tricks she'll pull this time?"

Li Wei wiped his sweat and looked back toward the western camp. In the camp Penny was sunning herself, and Thomas wasn't busy mining. He was chatting with Penny, laughing and joking.

Li Wei felt uneasy. Thomas was clever—by using a bit of information he had exchanged for Li Wei's stone-wall construction main quest, he was now very likely negotiating with Penny.

Previously, Penny had scoured the surrounding mountains and forests to find iron deposits, so if anyone knew the local geology, it would be Penny.

Unfortunately, even if Li Wei suspected this, there was nothing he could do because he had no idea where stone could be mined. Only the appropriate profession card could discover that.

At noon, everyone gathered to eat, and the veteran player Margaret finally showed up late.

Compared to Thomas's fierce aura, Margaret was much more pleasant to look at. She wasn't old, had a good figure, fine features, and big blinking eyes—about a six-out-of-ten beauty.

She wore a neat set of leather armor, a curved blade hung at her waist, and a bulging knapsack on her back, as if she had just returned from a journey.

As Penny's old friend, Penny naturally greeted her. Whether they wanted to or not, the plot logic couldn't break; sulking or being sarcastic was not allowed.

It was like a TV drama playing out—on the main camera no one dared slack off.

The one who had been brash before, Sam, apparently had his related memories erased and had been sent back home under Humanistic Care.

In short, what followed was a harmonious, affectionate scene. Li Wei, Leon, and even Thomas all played their parts smoothly; from head to toe there wasn't a single flaw.

Now they could all be called seasoned actors.

So next up, this Margaret girl would make her big move. How would she trigger the monthly main quest?

Li Wei was curious, but there was no way he would help again.

During the entire lunch rest period, Margaret chatted happily with Penny, acting very familiar.

She showed no hurry at all.

But what shocked Li Wei most was that in the afternoon Penny went up the mountain with Thomas and Margaret.

Penny's legs were not only quickened, but the long-standing fatigue and weakness had vanished, as if she had taken some miraculous medicine and transformed into a little dynamo.

There was no doubt they had struck some kind of deal.

Veteran completion players were truly terrifying.

So Penny was willing to help him find stone deposits?

Li Wei's guess was correct. By dusk, a set of notifications floated up in front of everyone.

[The Professional Warrior***, with the assistance of the Professional Craftsman***, successfully surveyed an ordinary quarry and an ordinary limestone deposit. They donated the quarry and the limestone deposit to the family and each received 15 Family Contribution points.]

[They must, over the next six months, supply the family with a total of 100 units of stone blocks and 100 units of limestone. Otherwise, their Family Contribution points will be reclaimed.]

Well then!

Awesome!

Penny really had reserves and hidden cards. These were definitely the ordinary quarry and limestone deposit she happened upon while searching for iron two months ago. She hadn't donated them before because the returns were small, but in front of players with a need, these resources became valuable.

Soon Thomas, Margaret, and a radiant, spirited Penny returned together, joking and laughing. Her leg wasn't lame anymore and the sickly fatigue had disappeared; she seemed reborn.

Her original main quest this month had been to recover from injury, but now she was healed—giving her a full twenty-nine days of free time to do side work and earn Family Contribution points.

If she pushed hard, she could catch up to 110 points this month.

Pretty fierce.