Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 112 Cooperation, Magic Circle, Fountain of Life, New Stage
Farrell had imagined many scenarios after a miracle was performed.

The high priest hoped to make up for the losses suffered by the gods by doubling the losses in the Vast Ocean Territory, which is why he meticulously planned such a spectacular display of divine miracles.

Like a roadshow when seeking venture capital, it is as lavish as possible.

Right behind the chief priest, the water channel turned its last bend and finally converged. As the last layer of soil miraculously disappeared, the entire water channel formed a wide circular waterway.

The rushing water from both sides met, collided, and surged in the canal, creating white waves.

Farrell took a deep breath, lowered the scepter he had been holding high, smiled, and turned to look at the lord and the dense crowd on the sand dunes on either side of him.

He was looking forward to it!

He looked forward to seeing the grand scene of thousands of people prostrating themselves in worship due to the awe of the Lord of the Vast Sea, their eyes filled with tears of reverence, and their voices reciting the name of God in unison, inspired by His call!

These scenes that touched his heart have been lingering in his mind these past few days, and have become the greatest motivation for the High Priest to "summon divine grace" this time!
however--

There was dead silence.

Faced with such a great miracle, all the people of the Vast Sea stood like wooden stakes, without bowing, without praying, without making a sound.

The dull-looking farmers and workers, the wretched-looking goblins and gnomes, the gleaming armored guards, and the muscular centaurs just stood there dumbfounded, sometimes looking at themselves, sometimes at their lord.

Apart from those two-headed ogres, who can simultaneously look at the high priest with one head and the lord with the other.

High Priest Farrell felt a chill instantly run through his spine and spread throughout his body; the sweat that had seeped out from the spell earlier now turned icy cold.

The scene was like the first time I stepped onto the stage in my youth to proclaim the name of God, feeling like a highly skilled bard, singing the most magnificent chapter to a crowd of strangers, only to be met with an awkward silence.

He later learned that it was a humiliation from the enemy. Because of the language barrier, the people below could not understand what he was saying and only regarded it as a clownish farce.

This feeling is absolutely awful.

Not only High Priest Farrell, but every member of the entire Holy See had a grim expression. Several Templar Knights' muscles were taut, and their fingers gripped their sword hilts tightly.

At that suffocating moment, he saw the young lord raise his right hand, fingers spread wide.

boom--! ! !
Like a long-suppressed volcano suddenly erupting!
The entire sand dune erupted in cheers! Thousands of people burst into a deafening roar that seemed to tear the clouds apart!

"Long live!"

This slogan was something the Torch Youth Group had told each member individually beforehand. The lord said that for today's occasion, the usual slogans had to be toned down. Don't shout "Long live the lord!" or "Long live the Vast Ocean Territory!" You can only shout "Long live!"

Calling the wrong number will result in a deduction of work points!

The "Long Live the Stars" slogan is actually similar to "eternity" or "immortality"! It is one of the common celebratory slogans, so there is no need to avoid the taboos of emperors of various countries.

The people shouted themselves hoarse, the veins on their necks bulging, as if they were squeezing out the last breath of air from their lungs.

For these people now, the lord's five fingers are equivalent to fifty work points for free, which is equivalent to two and a half days' worth of full-load harvest for an adult.

More importantly, the work points bestowed by the lord are called grace work points, also known as indiscriminate work points, and privately referred to as "gold work points," which grant the highest level of consumption privileges in the territory.

The concept of work points is said to have originated from a revelation by a great god from afar. The lord modified it slightly and made it a non-exchangeable but absolutely essential form of currency in the territory.

This means that they cannot buy or sell work points to each other, but they can initiate transactions with territories.

Each person's daily work and extra contributions are converted into work points and recorded on a huge screen in the territory, similar to the magic marble of the Mercenary Guild.

You can check how many work points you have accumulated simply by entering your employee ID.

For the inhabitants of the Han Hai Territory, the increase in work points represents the hope that their entire family will become quasi-citizens, or even Han Hai citizens. It is wealth, dignity, and the future.

However, there are differences between work points.

The daily work quota earned you basic work points, which the people called "copper work points".

They always use things they are familiar with as analogies for measurement.

Basic work points can only be used to pay off debts, redeem oneself from non-citizen status, or exchange for coarse grains and basic necessities in the centralized supply and sales cooperatives of the territory, generally known as "marketing cooperatives".

Those who exceed their work targets or make other contributions to the territory will receive bonus work points.

In addition to being used as basic work points, the reward work points can also be used to purchase high-end consumer goods such as meat, milk powder, cotton cloth, and candy in the specialty products area of ​​the market cooperative—goods that were unthinkable in the desert in the past.

To some extent, the combination of basic work points and bonus work points has become a means of training the territory.

For example, when the Torch Youth Corps members blew the whistle to help the overturned camel wagon on the side of the road, anyone who rushed over to help would receive an extra two to four bonus work points.

Even the stupid and lazy goblins will reflexively rush to the scene upon hearing the whistle.

Finally, there are the favor points directly bestowed by the lord under certain special circumstances.

Needless to say, these work points are incredibly valuable. Not only do they grant access to the second floor of the wholesale market, but they also grant you priority in purchasing without discrimination. Even the chief governor of Helan would have to wait in line for you.

Although this scenario is almost impossible, it doesn't stop non-citizens and prospective citizens from talking about it with great interest and indulging in endless fantasies.

Most importantly, this thing has become a status symbol among non-citizens; those with high merit points are more likely to be favored by women than others.

The lord consciously increased the proportion of women in the later batches of slave purchases. Currently, the male-to-female ratio in the territory has reached five to three. The council has repeatedly declared that it will completely equalize the male-to-female ratio within a year.

At that time, as long as the people in the territory work hard, everyone can have a happy family.

Moreover, their nephews and nieces have already joined the Torch Youth League and are poised to become the future rulers of the territory, the Kshatriyas of the Vast Ocean. With such a bright future, who the gods are or what they have done is completely unimportant.

In the Dongxia's executive documents, this was called: In order to ultimately eliminate classes, it is necessary to first mobilize the enthusiasm of the masses for learning and work by distinguishing between classes.

Indeed, seeing a clear upward path has made everyone very enthusiastic.

Amidst the deafening shouts, Chen Mo slowly lowered his hands, then clapped his hands together gently.

The torchbearer youths' guides faced the crowd on the dunes and began to lead a wave of applause, following the lord's rhythm.

The guards in formation raised their spears and slammed the shafts of their spears into the ground, making a deep, resonant sound.

Soon, the sounds in the entire venue were tamed and subdued by an invisible force, ultimately transforming into a unified and awe-inspiring roar:
"Clap clap clap, long live!"

"Clap clap clap, long live!"

The Templar Knights, who had been furious just moments before, were stunned. These people were cheering, but it seemed they weren't cheering for the blessings of their god.

Oren, the steward of the Seven Luminaries Garland Trading Company, turned pale. He seemed to understand now why the old trader had been reminding him that pioneering lords were not the same as other lords.

High Priest Farrell, however, saw it all clearly and distinctly.

This young leader seems to be using this method to passionately and bluntly remind himself that he is the only "god" in this territory!
He possessed unparalleled control over this territory, and the high priest had no doubt that if this lord were to draw his sword at him, those fanatical subjects would not hesitate to tear him, the messenger of the gods, to shreds.

He has only ruled this territory for a few months...

The high priest's facial muscles twitched slightly, but he still managed a somewhat stiff smile amidst the cheers.

The sun was still blazing, and the newly built circular canal flowed with dazzling ripples, like a golden-edged jade belt inlaid in the desert.

After leading the territory's high-ranking officials on a tour of the irrigation canal, Chen Mo's smile was warm and amiable. "I've prepared a grand banquet to celebrate the venerable High Priest Todd Farrell's remarkable miracle. Let's go, I can't wait!"

The banquet was held in the central hall of the lord's mansion. The banquet consumed precious ingredients that had been transported from afar, enough to supply the territory for more than half a month. The halfling chefs did their best to prepare a sumptuous feast using magical seasonings from the distant East Xia.

The lord raised his glass repeatedly, toasting Farrell, Oren, the representatives of the Divine Court, and the representatives of the Seven Luminaries Wreath.

Farrell had now recovered from his despair.

His ability to be repeatedly sent out by the Divine Court to meet with all sorts of demons and monsters demonstrates his exceptional character and intelligence.

There are fools among the second and third generations of the Divine Court, but they are generally not brought out for fear of embarrassment.

Regardless, since we've already invited "divine grace," what we need to do is to maximize the output of that grace.

Moreover, on the bright side, this lord has such outstanding control, so if we can persuade the lord, wouldn't that mean we've taken over the entire territory?
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the banquet was exceptionally harmonious, and Farrell finally found the opportunity to ask that question again:
"Lord Chen Mo, the Divine Court has fully demonstrated our strength and sincerity. When will the conversion of the people of the Vast Sea to the Divine Church begin?"

Chen Mo stopped whispering with Helan beside him, raised his head, raised his cup to High Priest Farrell from afar, and said, "Very well! However, I would like to ask, what are the benefits of allowing your religion to preach here?"

High Priest Farrell slammed his cup onto the table with a crash, feeling tears welling up in his eyes.

This...this...can someone really be this shameless?
They even deceive God?

However, a few minutes later, Chen Mo calmed down his anger.

“Before, I said I didn’t believe in things that can’t be seen in the void, so High Priest Farrell wanted to show me and let me witness the power of the Seven-Eyed God with my own eyes, right?”

Farrell nodded blankly.

“Now, thanks to High Priest Farrell, who has indeed demonstrated divine grace, and which I have witnessed with my own eyes, I now completely believe in the existence of the Seven-Eyed God.”

"So, in other words, High Priest Farrell used this miracle to gain my correct understanding of the gods, is that right?"

Farrell continued to nod.

"It is because of the miracles you have demonstrated that I now believe in the existence of the Seven-Eyed God. At the same time, I am very willing to have a more in-depth discussion with High Priest Farrell about the Seven-Eyed God in the Vast Ocean Territory in an active, open, and frank manner. I think this will show our sincerity."

Farrell nodded with a hint of anticipation.

“Then,” Chen Mo’s smile was warm and pure, “if we finally reach an agreement, the Seven-Eyed God can preach in the Vast Ocean Territory, and it’s understandable that I would try to secure a few insignificant conditions for the Vast Ocean Territory, right?”

High Priest Farrell sighed and nodded helplessly.

What they said makes sense.

From the very beginning, the lord said, "I don't believe in the existence of gods!"
Now, the young leader's words are very clear: a single miracle was used to convert the other party from disbelief to belief.

Believing in the existence of God, allowing proselytizing, and allowing unconditional proselytizing are three completely unrelated things to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo now says that he has witnessed it and truly believes in the existence of the Seven-Eyed God, which means that the first transaction has already been completed.

The other party even quoted his own words: "Please allow me to invoke the name of the gods on the land of the vast sea, and bestow divine grace. Please let the lord witness the supreme glory and true power of the Seven-Eyed God!"

It does!

Now, the lord, because of divine grace, has faith, and on the basis of that faith, he begins to negotiate matters concerning missionary work.

The lord is willing to open this door, but we need to discuss the conditions a little more. Is that alright?
High Priest Farrell thought it over and over and found no problem!

Even Oren, who was standing next to him, felt that this was indeed a fair and regulated transaction.

Let's talk then.

However, the Templar captain beside him was still somewhat indignant, seemingly talking to himself, but his voice clearly echoed throughout the hall: "Trying to provoke a powerful being with verbal tricks is simply too presumptuous."

The noise in the hall paused slightly, and High Priest Farrell slapped the table with some displeasure: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

“That’s right!” Chen Mo didn’t seem to care at all, and instead went along with the Templar Knight’s words: “To provoke a powerful being on one’s own is just overestimating oneself. But whether it’s overestimating oneself or not, whether it’s provoking or not, what’s coming will come.”

"Even when I wasn't using any tricks, the gang would still show up whenever they wanted. Otherwise, where would my 'Jingguan' at the intersection of Hanhai Road come from?"

"When the Zircon Territory of Turquoise attacked Emerald South Pass, the lord of South Pass pleaded and begged, but the Zircon did not spare them."

"Therefore, I let the Divine Court preach here, striving to gain more conditions to strengthen ourselves. I think this is called acting within our means."

"It is precisely because we know that we are not strong enough that we must seize every opportunity and work harder."

"Otherwise, if another bandit gang comes next time, who knows whether the Divine Court will help me or them?"

At this point, everything has been laid bare. It seems that this lord harbors resentment towards certain forces for their previous support of bandits and is determined to nitpick within the rules.

Farrell felt more at ease.

What I fear most are unexplained grudges; if there's a reason behind them, at least I'll know how to resolve them.

After the banquet, the two sides' negotiation teams went back and forth for about ten days. Finally, with the active willingness and strong promotion of the leaders of both sides, the cooperation between the Seven-Eyed God Cult and the Vast Ocean Territory was basically finalized.

The religion has been granted freedom of missionary work in the vast sea territory, which is free, non-exclusive, and within the framework of the law.

Chen Mo's condition was that the Divine Cult would solidify two sets of spell models for the Vast Ocean Territory and provide it with several sets of physical objects and matching psionic supply crystals in the form of magic arrays or magic scrolls.

After consulting with his magic advisor, Farrell felt a sense of absurdity, thinking, "That's it? I thought they were stealing eggs."

Some things are incredibly difficult for the Vast Ocean to handle, but for the well-established Divine Court, they are nothing. If the lord had made such a request earlier, he might have saved me a divine favor...

In any case, things ended with a happy ending for everyone.

Lady Luck seemed to be particularly kind to this young lord, and soon another piece of good news followed.

The team heading to the Redwood Highlands successfully traversed the Green Pine Kingdom and returned safely, bringing back not only seven [Eternal Songs of Life], but also receiving a response from the elves in their request for some [Fountain of Life].

In name only, the people Chen Mo sent were the direct guards of Princess Liushuang, so the elves simply had them relay the message to the young princess.

"The elves said that if the young princess has any other needs, she can write a personal letter to their elders, and they should make arrangements accordingly."

"From what they're saying, the Fountain of Life isn't anything particularly valuable; it seems less precious than the Eternal Song of Life!"

This is understandable, since spring water is never too scarce. Yongge is a processed product of the spring water, so its value should indeed be much higher.

Chen Mo immediately wrote a personal letter to Liu Shuang and arranged for people to carry generous gifts and head towards the capital of the Qiyue Dynasty.

Seawater rice is growing vigorously, photovoltaic power generation areas are steadily expanding, the road system is being improved day by day, and the Seven Stars Chamber of Commerce has sent fishing boats... Good news keeps coming from all fronts.

On the territory of the vast sea, the first batch of quasi-citizens transformed from slaves have emerged, moving out of the sand dunes and from the semi-underground to the real land. This demonstration effect has once again set off a new wave of construction frenzy on the territory.

Everything seems to be thriving.

With the support of the gradually expanding intelligence and trade systems, Chen Mo finally began to allocate the precious altar transport capacity to the complete industrial system.

(End of this chapter)