Capítulo 127: Fate
Bai Yi felt a wave of confusion wash over him, first from the shock of new knowledge and then from the weight of the mission. He remained stunned for a while, trying to process the information flooding his mind.
The mission spoke of three crises—did this mean he had to survive three trials to succeed? That seemed like a daunting task. The old Sword Master was only at level 90, unable to step into the forbidden path, having reached the limit of his mortal abilities. Others had been trapped there for millennia, and yet he had been given this rare opportunity. Complaining felt unnecessary.
However, he couldn't shake the uncertainty about when the mission would begin. During this waiting period, the levels and soul resources he gained wouldn't enhance his spirit. He decided to redirect his attribute points into intelligence instead; the magic power of an alchemist was crucial. As long as he managed to lower his level, reaching 800 points of magic power before promotion to Legend didn't seem as impossible as he once thought.
Bai Yi's thoughts shifted to the dark side. When would it be able to transform into a god-attribute point? Perhaps something was missing. Was it that the word "God" didn't appear in the template?
Shaking off these distractions, he glanced at the time. It was almost September. Checking the forum, he noted: [Open beta countdown: 8 days and 15 hours.] With less than a month before players arrived, there was no rush in Nanling City. The game wouldn't leave players without an experience; it would wait until the average level rose before fully unveiling the major plot.
There shouldn't be any wars in the first two months, giving him some breathing room. While he couldn't delegate the modification of critical items to others, he could certainly modify the firearms for his ace troops. With the alchemical furnace, he could slowly craft more advanced equipment, and Dongwu City had sufficient funds now.
Stepping out of the laboratory, Bai Yi found Dawn Pharmacy empty. Despite it being daytime, the door was closed.
"Maybe you should take a break and wait for my orders," he called out to Or.
Or paused on the assembly line, the flickering soul fire beneath its hood reflecting surprise. After a year of relentless work, it finally had a chance to rest. It recalled a sunny autumn day a year ago when it had come to Xia to develop and oversee the assembly line. Since then, its magical power had never been fully restored.
Now, finally...
Or looked up at the dim light of the workshop, a flicker of tears in its eyes, though it had no flesh or blood to shed.
Bai Yi, preoccupied with his thoughts, opened the door to Dawn Pharmacy and was immediately surprised by the bustling scene outside.
The streets were alive with people, the ground spotless, and an air of extraordinary energy permeated the atmosphere. Rows of stalls lined the streets, selling an array of goods without directly competing with the shops.
However, the entrance to Dawn Pharmacy remained relatively deserted.
Bai Yi's keen eyes could even discern the faint souls of passersby. All beings watched by the White Plague felt an instinctive chill, as if a ferocious beast was observing them.
He withdrew his gaze, closed his eyes, and took a moment to center himself. When he opened them again, his eyes had returned to their normal black.
Concealing his presence, Bai Yi stepped into the vibrant street.
He had never seen Dongwu City so lively.
"Did you buy your ticket?"
"I did! This competition is rare—much more exciting than the usual human-monster fights."
"No, that's not what I meant."
"What do you mean?"
"With this ticket, you can bet on which side will win before the game starts. If you bet right, you make a fortune!"
"Really? I thought it was just a gamble run by the bigwigs! Can I still buy in? This is a real opportunity!"
"Come on, I'll show you. I made a ton from this! It's officially notarized—no dealer involved. They only take 20% of the winner's cut; as long as you bet on the favored side, you can double your money!"
"Is it really that good? Let's go!"
Bai Yi watched the two bronze-skinned humans disappear down the path, a slight smirk on his face. The dealer always wins, he mused.
Zero: [The relevant information for the legion selection has been sorted out.]
Bai Yi glanced at the update: during the retreat, personnel for both the Reform Legion and the Ace Team had been selected.
The Transformation Legion drew 30,000 troops from three legions: 23,000 from the Wucheng Army, 5,000 from the Storm Legion, and 2,000 from the Apocalypse Legion. This left 30,000 vacancies for recruitment. Once these elite 180,000 troops were filled, the last-place elimination mechanism would kick in.
Fifteen large-scale arenas had also been constructed across the four urban areas of the outer city. Under Sabo's management, registration for the ring would require a fee, ensuring that only serious competitors would be admitted, which also served to increase city revenue.
Tickets were necessary for watching the matches, with Sabo taking 20% of the winnings for gambling. With about 1.5 million extraordinary beings in Dongwu City, and more arriving, this influx promised considerable profits.
As the number of participants grew, many extraordinary beings would likely remain in Dongwu City, drawn by opportunities with both the three legions and the transformed legions. Everyone knew that war would bring casualties, and those vacancies would be their chance.
Sabo had recognized the popularity of soldier recruitment and had made the elimination mechanism public, providing even those not involved in war the potential for opportunity. This led to a surge in the city's population, extending to the outer city.
However, Sabo's management of construction eased Bai Yi's worries. He only needed to provide support.
After messaging Sabo, Bai Yi entered the treasurer's residence. It was devoid of waitstaff or decorations, a reflection of Sabo's priorities.
After a brief wait, Sabo entered with a smile. "Lord City Lord, what can I assist you with today?"
"How is the recruitment of alchemists progressing?" Bai Yi asked evenly.
"We have 30 silver-level and about 230 bronze-level alchemists. Many more have expressed interest but haven't arrived yet," Sabo replied, a hint of frustration in his voice. "The number of alchemists in Dawn is indeed limited."
"That's acceptable. Let's set an upper limit of 500. Establish an Armaments Department under the Quartermaster's jurisdiction. You can provide them with the potion formulas, firearm designs, and this alchemical furnace with the user manual."
Bai Yi produced the alchemical furnace and relevant documents. "I've noticed some networks charging fees. You…"
He paused, feeling helpless. "Make sure to connect without touching the network's funds. The network is crucial for the Federation; we can't afford mistakes."
Sabo's expression turned serious. "My friend, you don't trust me. When have I ever let anything slip?"
"Dongwu City can't become isolated, Sabo. We must maintain good relations with the councilors in the capital, especially families like Coman and Difeng."
Sabo considered this for a moment. "What if I bring Coman and Difeng in on the profits?"
"Difeng doesn't need the money. Koman, however, is fairly wealthy. But pushing too hard on families that don't engage in business might backfire. We should look beyond," Bai Yi suggested. "Consider the emerging kingdoms of God. Conflicts are inevitable, but they might not align with their deities."
Sabo's eyes brightened. "You mean…"
"Exactly. Dongwu City will back you, but the financial officer shouldn't be the one causing trouble," Bai Yi spread his hands. "I'm curious, though—how do you still have the energy to pursue business after developing Dongwu City to this level?"
With a sly grin, Sabo snapped his fingers, and another version of himself appeared behind him—a perfect copy, down to the last detail.
The two Sabos rubbed their hands together, chuckling in unison, "Hehehe, we got so busy we accidentally awakened a little talent. Now we can multitask and double our profits!"
Bai Yi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Expertise awakens when it wants to, it seemed.
"Alright, keep an eye on the Armaments Department. I'll step in occasionally. Garrett is leading the Transformation Corps, right?" Bai Yi asked as he stood.
"Yes, the potential of the two silver orcs from the Apocalypse Legion has reached its limit. This is perfect timing," the clone Sabo replied, gathering the items Bai Yi had provided.
"Then I'll take a look. Let's initiate the transformation as soon as possible. Also, have your clone ask the alchemists studying transformation to assist," Bai Yi added as he left.
"Of course, but please wait a moment," Sabo said, a hint of embarrassment in his tone.
Bai Yi raised an eyebrow in confusion as Sabo explained, "Since we've recruited them, we can't let them eat for free. I've assigned them some work, so they have to share the load."
Bai Yi sighed. "Just hurry up."
He left quickly, bemused at how people seized every opportunity to profit. Here he was, a profiteer himself, being compared to a saint.
Suddenly, Bai Yi felt a shift and turned toward the City Lord's Mansion, sensing something but dismissing it since it didn't feel like a crisis.
Arriving at the new military camp in the eastern outer city, Bai Yi entered the council hall, where soldiers awaited eagerly.
After instructing the alchemists on flesh and blood transformation techniques, he planned to head to Nanling City, quickly resolve external matters, and then retreat once more.
How would he handle the threat posed by the Soul Tower if he unleashed his forces in Dongwu City?
Meanwhile, on the eaves of the meeting hall at the City Lord's Mansion:
"Master, I think I saw the boss heading that way!" Luo Ning exclaimed.
"The boss has come out!" Elsa added, intrigued.
"How did you see that?" Elsa asked, puzzled.
"Didn't Master tell me to find my destiny? Look to the east; the one who looks the most like a bully is the boss's destiny!" Luo Ning said earnestly. "His fate is to beat people up!"
Elsa glanced in that direction, her curiosity piqued. Suddenly, she spotted a massive, irregular azure crystal.
As if sensing scrutiny, the crystal swiftly adopted a defensive stance, morphing into a giant diamond shape. A scarlet figure within lunged forward, like a wolf ready to attack anyone daring to intrude upon its taboo.
Elsa's face paled, and she quickly dismissed her gaze from the vision, barely managing to escape in time.
"Isn't that terrifying? It didn't want me to see it!" Luo Ning said indignantly. "Clearly, the boss likes me, but his fate does not!"
Aisha, her mentor, patted her head gently and responded seriously, "That kind of fate is on a different level. We call it destiny because those with it generally have bright futures and high status. It shouldn't be peered at lightly. Next time, remember not to stare too long."
"Destiny isn't like that, though. It's kind and expansive, while the boss's destiny is fierce," Luo Ning insisted, determined. "If destiny looked like that, it wouldn't be in the encyclopedia!"
Elsa remained silent, having never encountered such an aggressive fate before. While fortune tellers could modify others' destinies, she felt a deep-seated fear that she couldn't compete with such raw power. "I know, dear, but the vast blue fate is destiny itself. The red figure hidden beneath is another unrecorded fate. The city lord possesses two fates. We should give the latter a name and record it in the encyclopedia."
Luo Ning's eyes lit up with realization. "Is this how the complete list of destiny types originated?"
Aisha smiled and nodded. "Yes, all knowledge is passed down by our predecessors. Since it's written by people, it isn't infallible; we must exercise our judgment. We can't merely rely on textbooks; we need to observe fate closely."
Luo Ning felt a bit bashful from the praise but giggled, "Then, Master, may I name the boss's fate?"
"Of course, you discovered it."
"Then it's settled! It shall be called Fierce Fate! It's just too fierce!"
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