novelraw Chapter 72
Chapter 72
After everyone finished getting acquainted, Su Wangchuan placed the case he had carried out onto the table.
“There are six Hundredfold Steel sabers and two Hundredfold Steel longswords. They’re all here.”
He opened the case. Inside, cold light glittered. Several heavy Hundredfold Steel weapons lay neatly arranged, still carrying the freshly quenched scent of the blast furnace.
Instructor Yu and Monk Dalong smiled. Each of them picked up a weapon, examined it carefully, and revealed satisfied, approving expressions.
“Not bad.”
“Little Brother Wangchuan has solid fundamentals. These Hundredfold Steel weapons are already forged to a very respectable standard.”
“With these weapons, the brothers in the reserve team will have better protection when carrying out land-clearing missions.”
Then Monk Dalong picked up a Hundredfold Steel longsword and tossed it to Chen Hong.
She caught it and quickly smiled.
“A normal iron sword only has three to five points of attack. This Hundredfold Steel longsword reaches five to eight. It’s nearly twice as strong. With this, cutting down bears in the mountains and hunting tigers will be no problem.”At those words, Lin Xun, who had remained silent until now, could not help letting out a cold laugh.
“Cutting down bears and hunting tigers? The land-clearing reserve team is already that capable now? Monk Dalong, is this the kind of people you trained?”
“…”
Monk Dalong’s expression shifted slightly. He shook his head and explained,
“Chen Hong came from a neighboring county. She belongs to a martial artist family from a county seat.”
Then he looked at Chen Hong and warned her,
“A bear in the mountains is not inferior to a formal martial artist. And a tiger is even comparable to a ranked martial artist. Each one has extremely high vitality and is not easy to kill. Even we ranked martial artists can be injured when facing them, and there is even a risk of severe injury or death.”
Su Wangchuan’s heart tightened.
Yet he did not feel those words contained any exaggeration.
In truth, even an adult wild boar was enough to make a Quasi-Martial Artist fear it. In close combat, beasts were difficult to kill quickly. Once they closed the distance, the destructive power of those tusks was no weaker than a Hundredfold Steel saber. They could easily pierce leather armor and flesh alike, and even martial artists struggled to withstand it.
A bear and a tiger were only stronger than a wild boar, not weaker.
Normally, no one was willing to provoke such beasts while risking injury or death. As spirit realm players, the first duty was not to endanger oneself and to protect one’s character and account.
Chen Hong realized she had spoken wrongly. She turned her head to the side and admitted her fault on her own initiative.
“I understand.”
She was a woman who knew when to yield and when to endure, without that senseless arrogance.
Su Wangchuan smiled.
Lin Xun did not press the matter further. He raised his head and urged Instructor Yu.
“Since the weapons are good, then complete the transaction… We still have serious business.”
“The silver that should be paid to Wangchuan will be counted directly into this month’s gold farming earnings,” Instructor Yu stated. “One hundred and twenty taels of silver.”
“Alright.”
Su Wangchuan nodded.
Since this was the method of transaction, then later he would privately transfer the money back to Instructor Yu.
A kickback.
The two of them exchanged a glance that only they understood, and the deal was concluded.
Monk Dalong and Chen Hong did not leave immediately.
The weapons case was shut.
Everyone sat down in a circle with tacit understanding.
There was something to discuss.
“There’s one more matter.”
Instructor Yu swept his gaze across them and said,
“This time, the Nu Tao Gang’s water stronghold was breached. The danger in the waters has already been completely cleared. Even if there are still a few remnants of the Nu Tao Gang, they are no longer worth fearing.”
“But right now, for our studio, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“The island where the Nu Tao Gang built their water stronghold is part of a chain of dozens of islands connected into one body of water. It is easy to defend and hard to attack. And on one of those islands, there is an iron mine and a coal mine. They have immense development value.”
“The studio plans that once Constable Yu from the Six Gates leaves, we will join forces with the Void Studio and the Dragonheart Studio. We will gather twelve ranked martial artists, establish a brand-new gang, and seize this body of water and its resources.”
Su Wangchuan was startled.
The studio actually wanted to carve out territory like a warlord, claiming islands and turning them into a fortress.
Lin Xun and Monk Dalong looked as though they had heard rumors long ago. Neither reacted.
Chen Hong and Su Wangchuan, however, were both surprised.
Instructor Yu explained to the two of them,
“This matter is extremely difficult, and there is a certain degree of risk. It may draw hostility from the major forces and families in Huishui County and the surrounding county seats! It may even bring a second official suppression campaign!”
“That is why the studio is also hesitating. Should we agree to cooperate with these two studios?”
“Because when the time comes, not only must we pour in all of the land-clearing teams, but due to manpower constraints, we may have to mobilize the entire reserve team of Quasi-Martial Artists as well! And everyone in the gold farming department will have to work nonstop, continuously sending more funds over to support operations here.”
Instructor Yu had already explained it in great detail.
Su Wangchuan finally understood why Instructor Yu was willing to reveal this news in front of him.
To seize the Nu Tao Gang’s territory would require mobilizing every department of the Warring States Game Studio, including the reserve team’s Quasi-Martial Artists and every “workhorse” in the gold farming department.
As one of the senior workhorses in the gold farming department, Su Wangchuan would likely have to contribute not only his monthly earnings, but also make use of his blacksmith profession and his status as the Weapon Room’s Room Master to provide as many weapons as possible for the studio.
After Instructor Yu finished speaking, Chen Hong fell silent.
Su Wangchuan also lowered his head and said nothing.
After learning how dangerous this game truly was, Su Wangchuan did not want to involve himself in extremely perilous actions at all.
Seizing the Nu Tao Gang’s water stronghold could make them enemies of both Huishui County’s authorities and every major force. It was far too dangerous.
He did not want to be dragged into it.
Chen Hong was a woman, yet she had cultivated to the level of a Quasi-Martial Artist. Her body and physical quality must have undergone earthshaking changes.
She likely also had her own judgment and understanding of spirit realm, so she did not state her position either.
Seeing this, Lin Xun and Monk Dalong exchanged a glance. Lin Xun eased the tense atmosphere in the room and said,
“Relax. This matter will not be pushed forward immediately.”
“Because Constable Yu of the Six Gates has not left. He is a Third-Rank Martial Artist. By himself, he can suppress the major forces and families in Huishui County… not to mention that he has several ranked martial artists accompanying him. So even if we truly make any moves, it will have to wait until after Constable Yu leaves.”
“When will Constable Yu leave?”
Su Wangchuan interjected and asked.
If Constable Yu left, it meant that Blackwind Stronghold outside Huishui County would become active again, threatening Blackstone Village.
He had not forgotten that.
Lin Xun looked over and said,
“Within the Nu Tao Gang’s islands, there is a massive store of iron ore, and there is also an iron mine that has not been fully developed. Constable Yu came with a mission. He is investigating where the iron ore went, as well as hidden dangers that may exist in Huishui County. Now that the Nu Tao Gang has been wiped out, Constable Yu already has achievements to report back to the prefectural government. I suspect that once everything here has been inventoried, he will be able to depart and return to the prefectural government.”
After a pause, he added his own guess.
“My judgment is that Constable Yu should return to the prefectural government before the end-of-year holiday period. There is less than a month left.”
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