T0 Gaming Guild Saves the World.

Chapter 352, page 351: That's amazing progress!

The empire is only responsible for collecting taxes from the various territories and mostly doesn't care about their behavior within those territories, except for some unusual behaviors, such as riots.

Once it was clarified that the lord was the king of all the people in his territory, the boundaries between the real and virtual realms could be fully defined before the arrival of the judges.

By the end of his first playthrough, Zhong Zemo had memorized the names of more than twenty adventurers who had fought alongside them to the death to defend the castle.

Caen easily found these people who were paid to do things and had excellent professional ethics. This time, it only took less than two days to form a patrol guard of 50 people.

In front of the castle, Jiang Heyi personally greeted them in the castle's front yard.

Having spent years tasting the dangers of life, adventurers are used to the arrogance and meanness of those in power. Even when issuing commissions, they always seek intermediaries to communicate with them. They will not lower themselves to such a level unless absolutely necessary.

However, something seems amiss?
A variety of exquisite dishes adorned the round tables, filling them to the brim.

The dishes were unheard of and unseen before, and even those who were used to rough food and spent years in the wild would salivate at just a glance.

And these delicacies all seem to have been made by a muscular elf dressed in light gold lion-patterned armor.

They swore that in all their years as adventurers, they had never seen an elf as large as a moving city wall.

The pot on the makeshift stove swayed incessantly in his hands, the food performing graceful gymnastics in the air, each time landing precisely back into the iron pot.

Upon learning that this person was one of the lord's knights, everyone felt a mixture of awe and apprehension.

The differences in status and rank were already deeply ingrained in their minds; how could they possibly deserve the honor of being personally cooked and entertained by an imperial knight?

Many people began to examine their unkempt and tattered clothes, which seemed completely out of place with the elaborate hospitality that was about to begin.

Butler Navas called out the lord's name loudly, and the adventurers all knelt on one knee in a flurry, their movements clumsy and awkward.

Many people, because of their armor, knelt down with their bodies crooked, and were sweating profusely.

Fortunately, the lord quickly signaled to cancel the formality and naturally invited everyone to take their seats.

Seeing the lord stand up, everyone who had been signaled that they could enjoy the food withdrew their hands.

Jiang Heyi couldn't help but smile when she saw this: "You eat yours, I'll talk mys, there's no conflict between us."

Seeing that no one was making a move, he gave Caen a wink.

Caen boldly grabbed a leg of lamb and began to gnaw on it.

With one person taking the lead, the other adventurers followed suit.

It's a very subtle feeling... How can I be so free in front of a lord and a nobleman?
“I am about to disband the 72-person patrol team located in the southern district. Their work has not satisfied me.”

“You will replace them,” Jiang Heyi emphasized. “Besides ensuring the daily business order and avoiding chaos in the Silent Territory, I have another requirement for you.”

"You are forbidden from taking advantage of vendors under any pretext. Any form of unwarranted demand will be considered extortion."

"As long as you comply, you will receive an additional 200 silver coins per month on top of your regular bounty."

"Depending on your work performance, I will also set aside an extra 3 gold coins each month as a reward for all of you."

"Your equipment maintenance, food, and lodging will all be covered by the lord's castle."

Not to mention the adventurers, even Caen, who was eating a leg of lamb, choked on the meat and his face turned red.

He grabbed the glass of wine, his hands trembling, and took a big gulp.

The spicy liquor made his face turn even redder with excitement.

Every adventurer was panting heavily, a surge of adrenaline rushing to their head, their eyes almost turning red.

Several seconds passed before a large troll raised its fan-like hand.

"Your Excellency, do you mean that if each of us follows the rules, we can receive an additional 200 silver coins on top of the 20?"

"20 coins?" Jiang Heyi scoffed. "Forget about the previous lord's stinginess. The price I'm offering you is 100 coins."

"100!"

The adventurers all spoke in unison.

Pairs of eyes shone brightly, conveying a heat so intense it could melt metal.

Jiang Heyi could understand their excitement. They had a new boss as soon as they woke up, and during the conversation, he promised to increase their salary fivefold. As long as they didn't slack off at work, they could receive an extra salary every month.

It would be quite explosive even in real life, let alone in the Silent Territory that had been cultivated by the previous anthropomorphic lord.

“Any one of you injured while enforcing the law will be personally healed by an Imperial Knight.” Jiang Heyi pointed to the orange tea.

Not long ago, Orange Tea, who had advised the jailer to wipe out the entire Silent Territory, waved shyly to everyone and summoned gentle plant elements to demonstrate that she truly possessed this power.

The adventurers, whose minds were already numb, swallowed hard.

Even their biggest concern—medical care—was guaranteed.

"besides."

besides?

"Once you officially become a member of the Silent Territory, you can write a contract. If you die in the line of duty, the person you designate will receive a generous compensation."

“My job may not be that dangerous, but for the sake of your families, I think it’s necessary, after all, I’m buying your whole being.”

"Of course, all of this is on the premise that you can meet my requirements."

The entire room fell silent. The overwhelming amount of information made everyone dizzy, as if they had just woken from a very long dream.

A young man from the cat-eared tribe stood up, bowed respectfully, and then spoke in a slightly trembling voice.

"Please forgive my offense, Your Excellency. The former lord was somewhat..."

Jiang Heyi noticed his concern: "He's not quite like a normal person, is he?"

He nodded upon hearing the current lord's assessment.

"Are you afraid that I'm the same kind of person, but you pretended to be better at it at first?"

Jiang Heyi waved his hand, and Zhong Zemo carried a box of silver coins to the front yard, where he placed it heavily on the ground.

The "crack" sound of money hitting the ground made everyone stand up involuntarily.

Zhong Zemo opened the box, grabbed a handful of silver coins, and showed them to everyone.

"I also guessed your concerns, so I've decided to give you all a half-month's salary in advance."

"Of course you can take it and leave. Just consider it my poor judgment of character, and consider it me paying for the foolishness of the former lord. No one will hold you accountable."

The adventurers were petrified.

Pre-release...

What a strange word.

They had never heard of any lord adopting a similar policy; was this something a human being could do?
At the boundary between the virtual and the real, tables of silver coins were distributed, completely shattering all confusion and doubt.

The high-quality silver coin reflected a captivating luster in the sunlight, and the sound of rapid breathing began to spread.

Wherever they went, every adventurer seemed to have instantly learned the etiquette of nobles, behaving with perfect manners and expressions of surprise and emotion that seemed to be etched from the same mold.

There were even people who knelt down in public before Jiang Heyi and swore eternal loyalty.

"Since you've all taken my money, you've accepted my way of doing things."

"Anyone who violates this rule will have their monthly bounty confiscated and distributed to others, and will also be expelled from the team. So please keep an eye on each other and encourage one another."

The adventurers, accustomed to freedom, were of one mind and shouted in unison.

"I am willing to serve you, my lord!"

His powerful voice made the passing maids tremble. Jiang Heyi took the opportunity to offer a toast.

Many of the adventurers actually hesitated.

None of them who frequented the wilderness didn't drink alcohol, but now they were worried that drinking might lead to trouble.

"It's alright, let's indulge ourselves for today. All rules will begin tomorrow."

The lord's understanding and adaptability once again impressed everyone present.

After a pleasant banquet, the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves immensely, and the adventurers took the opportunity to set up camp outside the castle, which would be their home for some time to come.

In the study, Jiang Heyi summoned Caen alone.

“We don’t have enough people. I’ll recruit at least 200 of them to cover the entire territory.”

"Loyalty is a must, professional ethics are essential, and it's best if the family moves to the territory as well."

Caen was shocked.

"This will be a huge expense."

"You're actually worried about my money?"

Jiang Heyi casually opened a cabinet in the study, and precious silver coins poured out.

The former lord relentlessly exploited the people of his territory, amassing a fortune through the slave trade.

In just two short months, only by indulging in extravagance can one completely deplete it.

This is one of the few acts of kindness that the fourth floor offers to players.

“This is not my money, but the blood and sweat of you and those who work hard in the fields. I am just using it to obtain the benefits that the people here deserve.”

"you……"

“I need a lot of people to help me achieve this goal, a group of people who should agree with what I’m doing.”

“I only have six knights by my side. They cannot leave me because doing so might harm the interests of some people, so they must ensure their own safety.”

“Caen, you are an extension of my power. I hope you can open your eyes and see this war-torn land. If you also want to do something for the people here, while I still have the power of a lord, work harder to assist me.”

Caen abandoned traditional aristocratic etiquette, kneeling and prostrating himself on the ground.

"I am willing to give everything I have to Your Lordship!"

"I will certainly not disappoint your high expectations of me!"

“I swear, anyone who takes your life will become our mortal enemy.”

"The Lord's Guard will spare no effort to make them disappear!"

Caen left the castle trembling, and without resting, began screening personnel overnight.

Inside the study, applause resounded across the boundary between reality and illusion.

The prison guard was full of praise: "Great, great! Have you ever considered acting in a play? Your acting skills and the intonation of your voice are simply amazing at evoking emotions in people."

"If I were Caen, and I didn't know you were playing a role, I would definitely want to give my life for you."

The woman in bed chuckled, "You can switch between everyday life and acting so convincingly, you're a potential acting genius too! You two are a perfect match!"

The young couple lit up their faces.

"Yo~~~ I'm blushing, the tomato-flavored fries have appeared!"

"And tomatoes and potatoes!"

Jiang Heyi couldn't stand the teasing from his friends, which felt just like when he was still in school, and he waved his hands repeatedly.

"It's still a simulation, so be serious."

Zhong Zemo has even become quite the drama queen when it comes to his bed.

He snapped to attention: "Oh, yes, my esteemed lord~~~"

Damn translation jargon.

Jiang Heyi's high-salary anti-corruption policy is a game-changer for the current worldview, akin to a Frankenstein's monster, and is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

That's such a huge improvement.

The excessively generous reward made these guards, who had been adventurers not long ago, consciously restrain their behavior.

Merchants located in the southern part of the city quickly noticed the anomaly.

"What's going on? These new guards are actually paying for things."

Does it pay you when it buys your mutton fat bread?

"What, did you give me the rabbit jerky I bought?"

It was commonplace for guards to take bribes and kickbacks; in the past, anyone who dared to ask for money would be harassed.

They mostly dared not make things difficult for large merchants, but small merchants trying to make a living and local stall owners became their targets for harassment.

"Not to mention you guys, even when the tavern staff offered you drinks, they refused, citing patrol as the reason."

"Hiss... Are we living in a dream?"

"I heard that yesterday, before they officially started work, the lord summoned them to the castle. Could this be related?"

"It's not impossible. This lord is ignoring the one who announced tax reforms right after his death; it's practically like he's going against him."

"He's not just saying it."

The major merchants traveling along the empire's main trade routes also sensed the change in atmosphere.

These new guard members were full of energy and spirit, unlike the listless, bandit-like guys they used to be.

Moreover, half of them were wearing black cloaks.

According to a guard who bought goat's milk to quench his thirst, this was a unified requirement from the lord to increase visibility and deter potential lawbreakers.

In just one day, good news kept pouring in.

While lounging in bed and wandering around the southern district, I could hear locals and merchants from the Silent Territory discussing the new look of the Guard everywhere.

Without exception, they received rave reviews.

All day long, not a single member of the guard slacked off; they patrolled the various areas of the southern district tirelessly.

In order to move around more efficiently, several people even bought speed scrolls and stamina-restoring potions at their own expense and distributed them to the team members to improve efficiency.

As it turns out, with the right money and the right people, a good work ethic can be bought with a generous reward.

How to effectively activate employees' initiative?
Give me the money.

How to cultivate employee loyalty?
Pay up!
As long as you have enough money, even if you shout "Are kings and nobles born with special privileges?", your subordinates will be afraid you'll catch a cold and kindly drape a yellow cloth over you.

French Fries listened to what he had heard and nodded with a sigh of relief.

"The second phase, winning over the hearts and minds of the people and improving public security, is also progressing smoothly so far, and we have already achieved half of our goals."

"The next step is to reinforce the impression that the lord is a good and capable person."

Navas brought in a number of past sheriff's records, many of which remained unresolved.

"The image of a righteous and upright official is the most easily ingrained in people's minds, and one has to appreciate it."

(End of this chapter)